


The Offering

by SoporificSweetheart



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: Atem's a dumb prince, Blindshipping, Deathshipping, M/M, Nonbinary Character, Puzzleshipping, Royalty, Slow Burn, alternative universe, top!yugi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-24
Updated: 2018-03-03
Packaged: 2018-11-15 23:32:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 55,467
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11241561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SoporificSweetheart/pseuds/SoporificSweetheart
Summary: To make certain the agreement to peace holds firm between the human and demon kingdoms, an offering must be presented. This year's offering is one of unprecedented importance.Updates on Fridays.





	1. Expectations

**Author's Note:**

> Oops! Minor mistake in having the chapters listed as 1/1. This work is ongoing, and any readers should expect much more from it in the future!

Atem had never expected to find himself being sent off to the godless realm of demons, and he had certainly never anticipated that his journey to hell was a destiny that his father would so willingly provide for him.

The human kingdoms had harbored resentment against those who possessed even a drop of demon lineage in their bloodlines or wore a crown of horns since the dawn of civilization. It was a tradition of hatred, and one that engendered a past of wars fought and countless lives lost since the beginnings of written history. Humankind faced a near eradication in a more recent century before finally, some shred of mercy was offered from the demons, and a bargain had been reluctantly struck. Should the two domains wish to live in relative harmony, the humans would offer up a treasure of their peoples to honor their agreement. In return, the demons would share their bountiful resources through means of trade and make no advances or conquests on their neighbor's lands.

In years prior, woven tapestries, unearthed gems, or native species of flowering or medicinal plants were exchanged annually to show good faith on behalf of the human kingdoms: a small price to pay for prosperity. While the bloodshed and disasters had long since vanished from the scenery and life was left to flourish in the absence of war, the wounds of the past demanded remembrance. The bitter history that brewed between the two peoples could be recalled with such ease when Aknamkanon had risen to power and began stepping on toes of the highest authority. 

Thus made the approach of the offering a time of incredible weight. No longer was the ceremonious exchange between two leaders one simply born out of respect and courtesy, but one that stood to determine whether or not the sins of Aknamkanon would lead his nation to rubble, and bring about the wretched carnage of the past. Members of the Pharaoh's court desperately sought out a solution as the days rolled on mercilessly, searching for a gift they could give that meant more than any number of glittering jewels or weight in gold the humans had offered in the past. It sat upon the shoulders of Aknamkanon's loyal viziers to find such a thing within the boundaries of their kingdom to spare them from invoking the massacres of the past to loom over their people once more. 

However, as the hour of reckoning fell upon the court to contribute their brightest suggestions on the year's offering to properly beg for forgiveness from their adversaries without the merest suggestion of apology leaving an imprint upon their proud tongues, it was Aknamkanon who offered the final decision. The gift would be one of his own flesh and blood. His only son, Atem, the precious heir to his throne, would be tossed to the demons for his bones to be picked clean should that be their desire. It fit the bill, the price of inheritance being one enough to honor their tradition and stretch far enough to leave their transgressions behind them, surely. 

While the court drank to the joys and relief of avoiding what atrocities could have arrived at their door should their gift have fallen short, Atem was less pleased with the circumstances. Both ire and dread ate at him from his very core, first towards his father and then towards the destination planned for him. Visions of scarlet rivulets cascading down his skin and being carved out in seven different ways tormented him at night, whereas his gaze ran red during the days. Those who would have been blessed to be able to kneel before him now sold his soul and celebrated his riddance without a second thought. If a glance could kill, there would no longer be a court to serve his father.

As much as loathing soaked every corner of his mind, as much as he didn't deserve this, as much as he wished to take back the life he was meant to have, Atem could no longer fight fate. With the announcement to the people of his lands that he, the charming and honorable prince of the human kingdom, served as the saving grace they needed to prevent atrocities only imaginable from written texts, turning back from his role would be the death of him. He would die with honor in the lands of their adversaries so he could retain the image he'd left upon them before, rather than die of the shame sure to be placed upon him after running from harm had him labeled a coward. 

Time did not care for the dilemmas of princes. The dawn still broke each morning, and as the sun shed its first ray over the horizon on the day of the ceremony, members of the court stole the prince from his bed to prepare him as their offering. They rushed him through corridors while he was still in half a daze, the night's slumber still clinging on to him. Perhaps his dreams embraced him as if even these fickle things could have known that he wouldn't sleep through another night to feel their influence again.

They'd brought him to servants who stripped him of his night clothing and draped him in fine fabrics, tied tight around his waist and draped over his shoulders in ways more elaborate than his skin had previously known. They fit his ears with jewels and crowned his head with strand after strand of gold and wrapped an unfathomable amount of ornamentation around his throat. He caught a glimpse of himself in a mirror, so passive and resigned; he'd never before considered how pitiful he'd been acting. It wasn't until the kohl was presented that he thought to rebel, and he snatched it from the approaching servant's hands. If this moment served as the last Atem would spend as a royal, he would grasp whatever privilege that still remained his own.

"I can do this much myself," he insisted, his tongue no longer sharp as it might've been should he have been facing his father, but soft with resignation.

"But, my lord-" the maiden attempted to interject, surely only interested in her job.

"Silence," he continued, uninterested in her protests, "as your prince, as well as your sacrifice, this is my final request." 

Atem moved and sat before a mirror, and began to line his eyes thickly, drawing an intricate pattern onto his lids, asymmetric, and striking. He marked the eye of Horus upon his right, curious to see if the gods had faced him with their backs just as firmly as his father had, or if they would grant him some small shred of protection.

It was the final instance that he'd seen himself before the court guided him away, checking for any flaws before escorting him into the royal chariot. The life he once relished in, the familiarity and safety of his homeland was behind him, but in truth, no comfort could have remained in living underneath a father so ready to sacrifice him to preserve his endless wealth of pride. Now, he paid the ultimate price for his father's sins, traveling to the lands that would undoubtedly serve as his final resting place.

While Atem had never anticipated the sting of knowing the pains of his father's betrayal, his journey to hell transcended the images his imagination had supplied him through nightmares and the unpreventable contemplation that plagued him through the daytime. Even as the farthest reaches of the human kingdom passed him and he was allowed a final glimpse at the expanses of his home and crossed into demon territory, he saw no blood of the innocents paving the roads, or carnage littering the streets. No degenerates cast their gaze upon him with hungry eyes or attempted to rob his entourage meant to deliver him to their king. The air didn't turn to fire as Atem sucked it into his lungs as their cart traversed these foreign and forbidden lands, no matter how his mind had corrupted the image of what the savage neighboring lands would have looked like.

In fact, there was nearly nothing to suggest the presence of a bloodthirsty race of demons. Risking a glance at the scenery they traveled rewarded Atem with a view void of perils or atrocities and instead filled with lush greenery and flowering plants that thickly perfumed the air. Perhaps their pollen poisoned the too-crisp air, but even Atem with all of his sheltered upbringing knew that he was grasping at anything to condemn the soils fate destined him to die on.

There was nothing that Atem was capable of conjuring up in his mind that appeared grimmer than the fate that clung to him as intimately as every jewel and fine piece of fabric that adorned his body. The kingdom which was supposed to exalt him and take pride in breathing the same air as him instead discarded him as a mere object. The golden blood that ran through his veins meant to protect him from any undesirable circumstances became the exact thing to damn him to this solitude.

It sickened him to think of the people he'd left behind likely reveled in his absence and drank to sending him to the slaughter. Even Priest Mahad, his once friend who sat no more than an arm’s length away driving the carriage, had become unreachable. The solitude of it knotted in his stomach and made his skin flush with righteous anger. Sweat beaded down his forehead, and Atem leaned over the opening in the cart to wretch. 

Atem had every intention of holding his head high when he faced the judgment hour and put the pride of all his nation on display when the enemy looked upon him. However, as their destination grew closer and closer, he only became frailer in his disposition, as if defeat had seeped into the very marrow of his bones. Mercy couldn't find him here, and circumstances dictated that in place of the love of a father or friends, he would settle for the gaze of the stars above that would watch over him.

Although it became evident within the third day of his travels that there were more pairs of eyes pinned to their caravan than the gaze of the heavens. As the driver continued to lead them on the winding pathways, the evidence of civilization blossomed upon the horizon. Instead of the occasional inn or tavern that they'd pass, Atem's cart drove through entire villages, and his nerves were lit on fire and shook him out of his previous melancholy-laden nostalgia. 

The appearance of the native architecture, as well as the civilians that populated the area, only served to suggest the palace of the demon king was rapidly approaching. Atem was uninterested in seeing the local culture, and very much invested in staying hidden inside the tarp of the cart. Despite this, he could still hear fragments of outsiders conversations from the safety of his caravan. 

"Are those human travelers?"

"Of course, they're here to deliver the gift. I've heard rumors they've brought something especially outrageous this year."

"What? More outrageous than Prince Yuugi’s gala?"

"I've heard that the king has offered up his heir to the throne!"

"No, there's no way..."

The voices dissipated and faded into white noise as he rode further into this wretched place. His face grew hot with the shame of being reduced to nothing more than an extravagant gift meant to preserve peace, no different than the flowers or jewels presented in years prior. He felt just as outrageous as the women had suggested in their fascination with his kind. Had he not been a prince mere hours ago? At what point had his status melted away, and made him no more than a mere object?

It mattered no longer, for as Atem dared to glance beyond the white tarp of the carriage, the image of Solomon's palace rose before him. The uncompromising form jutted up from the ground and towered over him in a grand display of opulence. The privileges of his role as the prince showered Atem in wealth and the finest materialism his kingdom had to offer him, and he had thought he understood the meanings of prosperity or power, but the arrival before this royal imagery implied a distinctly different definition of wealth than what he had grown familiar with.

The path between their caravan and the palace doors became impossibly shorter with each breath of air that Atem drew in and exhaled. It was too late for a wheel to snap off the axle of the cart, and it was far too late for the exiled prince to break away from the burdens of his father's mistakes. There was no one in this damned land insane enough to consider taking him under their care no matter how exquisitely his people dressed him or the price of the jewels that curled around his throat. He had become a possession of the king, and no man or demon would dare attempt to snatch away the long observed treasure that preserved the peace between their two lands.

His stomach lurched as the horses came to a halt, and Atem suddenly found his sobriety. His time for contemplating his demise came to a close while his father's viziers who accompanied him stepped onto foreign soil. They offered him a hand and straightened the fabrics draped around him. At the door, a pair of guards greeted his small party and allowed them entry. Atem could've sworn his heart had stopped at the sight of them, thick horns protruding from the crown of their heads and long, pointed spears held in their grip, with a piercing gaze in their sharp eyes. He made a conscious effort not to stare. 

Walking into the palace proved to be an experience every bit as alienating as meeting the guards that stood before him. The ceilings towered too high over him, too rounded and meeting in a point above him, and some thin sheet of invisible material let light stream in from all sides in this entry hall. The chatter of indistinguishable voices met his ears and the dulcet tones of music permeated the air. When Atem reached the end of the hallway, his presence caught the attention of more members of Solomon's court. Their mouths didn't salivate at the sight of him, nor did they give away any sign of wishing to devour him. Only a smile and an offer to lead his entourage further into the palace and guide them to where they were supposed to be.

"It is always a pleasure to see another year come to pass that our two nations can come together to honor the peace between us," the demon said as he led them forth, and Atem's eyes wandered and rested upon the swish of his leathery tail. 

"Yes, truly," offered one of his father's viziers.

"Pardon my asking, but is the gift with you? I see you have brought no other carriages this year."

"The Pharaoh has sent his heir this year, as his gift to your kingdom."

Their guide stopped and turned to face the palace guests once more, and upon further inspection of Atem, seemed to realize the truth in their statement.

"So he has. I hadn't believed it to be true, but it is undoubtedly a great show of... generosity from Aknamkanon." 

Even the demons hadn't suspected his father of giving up his only heir, and shame burned in the very tip of his ears as he recalled the circumstances that brought him here. Still, he followed, and later arrived in the throne room. It became extremely obvious who was intended to receive him as a gift as he entered the room and his eyes found the opulent seat in which Solomon sat, crafted from some shining black material more beautiful than gold with intricate patterns adorning its frame.

Atem remembered himself only when he noticed his father's viziers begin to kneel, and dipped low into a bow to follow suit with their customs. It was a new position to find himself in when he had grown so familiar with being on the receiving end of such courtesies. He allowed the thought of his former position to slip from his mind as the monarch's lips parted to speak.

"You may rise," he permitted, pausing until they'd risen to their feet once again, "I thank your kingdom for honoring our agreement and expressing your desire to uphold the peace and prosperity between our separate cultures."

"It is our pleasure," led Mahad.

"Tell me," Solomon trailed off, his lips pursed into a frown as his eyes swept the room, "has Aknamkanon not joined us to honor our tradition this year?"

"His Majesty has... fallen ill. Offering up his only son on behalf of the ceremony has brought him great pain, but he sends only his fondest regards and hopes that our dearest prince may serve as a suitable stand-in on this night."

"Mmm. Fallen ill?" Solomon said, his eyes narrowed as he considered Mahad's statement, "if that is the case, then I wish him a swift recovery. Send him my thanks, and be sure he knows I will make certain his son is well provided for here."

While Solomon's words seemed entirely sincere, Atem couldn't stop the nagging feeling that welled up in his gut that there was an addition to his statement that went unsaid. He feared there existed a 'so long as' or 'but if' hanging silently in the air, but it never left his lips. What condition did he have to follow to preserve his life here? A sickening thought entered his head, one he wished had never touched his mind, but one he wished that he'd been more prepared for all the same. These foreign lands overflowed with abundance, their grounds perfectly fertile for raising crops or livestock or hunting. If Atem were to be devoured here, his heart would remain firmly intact inside his ribcage, his skin unbroken.

"While Aknamkanon may not be joining us tonight, there's no reason not to celebrate and partake in the feast we've prepared," Solomon said as he rose to his feet, a cane in his right hand faintly supporting him, "come, sit at our table, drink and eat. Then I will send you two on your way."

A man of his word, Solomon had led Atem's escorts to the palace's grand dining hall where exotic delicacies lined the long table while the nobility seated themselves. With a toast out of the way, the table was free to eat, drink, and speak freely. Although Solomon's words had convinced Atem that his life lay under no threat in this present moment, a burning sensation crept up the back of his neck. He could have sworn he could feel someone's gaze upon him. 

Atem suspected that if anyone was staring at him, it should have been the king, considering the circumstances. However, whenever he looked up to see him, Solomon's attention was caught speaking to a member of his court, clinking the rims of their glasses together, and being merry. His eyes swept over the crowd of people at the table, and he caught none of his father's viziers gazing upon him, nor the devilish court. Despite this, the feeling still lingered.

The meal, although one filled with grandeur and seemingly endless courses, eventually came to meet its end. With that, Atem exchanged goodbyes with Mahad before he and the other member of his father's court readied their horses and began their journey home. With the two of them already making their exit, Atem was without what little comfort that their nearness provided, and already he missed them.

He missed them even more upon finding Solomon's presence looming beside him, watching him bid his people farewell. Like a feline toying with prey between his paws, Atem wondered briefly if the king enjoyed the quiet terror that crept up his spine whenever he was within his proximity.

"Come, child, and follow me," Solomon spoke, his words a demand, "there are still important matters that require discussion on your... arrangements."

While Atem mentally prepared himself for slaughter on the winding path that led him to Solomon's palace, the thought of a demon he’d grown to resent above him, his hands creeping down his bare flesh, sickened him more than words could describe. No warning Atem received could have braced him for the captivity that would come with the title of a glorified harem boy, spending his days sprawled against palace sheets.

Solomon led Atem down into deep corridors that he eventually identified as living quarters, a path he thought he recognized a fair few members of nobility disappear to after the feast ended. Had he held desires to consummate the 'gifts' of the ceremony so early? The thought burned in Atem's mind, and he wished to cry out for the gods above for mercy. The time for that, however, left him long before his father chose him as his kingdom's sacrifice.

Abruptly, Solomon halted before a door and caused Atem to stumble out of his trance of anxious thoughts. He rapped his knuckles against the entry way, and the call of a voice echoed to permit his entry. Who held such high esteem that the reigning monarch was required to knock at their door?

Atem followed the king through the doorway and was greeted by sheer fabrics draping from the walls instead of what gore he formerly anticipated. It took him a moment to drink in the sight of the room before his eyes located a figure seated along the edge of his wide windowsill. 

Atem watched as the stranger approached King Solomon, seeing as he'd yet to garner his attention, and observed as their interactions unfolded. Certainly, the King wouldn't dare waste precious time with lesser matters when he told him they would settle his arrangements only a moment ago. 

"As you have witnessed in the ceremony, Aknamkanon has so generously gifted our kingdom with his son, the prince," Solomon addressed, sending a stray glance to Atem in the process. 

"Considering this year's offering is one very different to one's from past exchanges, I'm entrusting him to you, Yuugi. I imagine you don't have any complaints on the matter?" 

"No, not at all," the other responded, taking the King's hand into his own for a brief moment, "I'm more than happy to tend to him. Thank you, grandfather. I'm sure this arrangement will be... very pleasant."

Yuugi turned his head to meet Atem's eyes and drank in the sight of him, the offering claimed by the demon kingdoms. As he met his violet gaze, Atem recognized his stare from the feast. This prince, although an infinitely more attractive keeper than his grandfather, had warning signs dancing across his three-horned crown. His charm was intoxicating, and Atem felt the poison of his smile coursing through his heart.


	2. Cultural Differences

Yuugi leaned forward into a deep bow in a show of reverence before taking the human prince's hand within his own and pressing a chaste kiss against his knuckles.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, your royal highness," he fixed his posture and released Atem's hand as their gaze met, interest glimmering in his violet eyes, "my name is Yuugi. I'm the prince of this kingdom, and next in line to take the throne. Would you please tell me your name?"

Solomon had cleared from the room a moment prior so he might tend to more business relevant to the royal court as well as his kingdom, leaving Yuugi at Atem's side unattended. What a pleasure indeed to stay at such a beautiful creature's side with some privacy. Who would dare blame him for admiring him throughout the duration of the feast? With eyes dark as mulled wine and skin kissed by the sun, the human kingdom offered him a treasure beyond compare.

"My name is Atem," he managed with some reluctance, wary of Yuugi's presence despite his grandfather's vow that he would care for him with the utmost courtesy, "Prince of Khemet."

What a prince he was. He delighted Yuugi's senses, and his appearance before him beckoned him to come closer. Still, Yuugi refrained from engaging in anything unbecoming. 

"Atem?" Yuugi echoed with a kind smile, "a regal name. Truly fit for a prince." 

The human prince refused him a response, too lost in the presence of Yuugi's home to keep up with simple conversation. As if suspended in a dream or a nightmare, Atem's gaze seemed to look past the floor into the invisible unknown, entirely transfixed by this new and foreign land only told of in history books. Still, Yuugi had yet to sate his curiosity surrounding the most recent offering from the human kingdom, and he intended to fulfill his desires before he let his dear prince rest.

"Atem?" he called, his voice softer this time, but no more sympathetic to letting the other escape the day and welcome the embrace of sleep than he had been earlier, "I've never been to Khemet. Come, sit with me, and tell me of your home. I can tell you of my home as well, if you wish to hear of it."

He hesitated in joining Yuugi's side on the wide sill of the window, and Yuugi wondered if he would be sick, considering the tight-lipped silence Atem met his attempts at conversation with. Nevertheless, Atem reluctantly approached, and with a bit more coaxing, he finally sat down.

"What do you want to hear of it?" despite complying with Yuugi's request, it wasn't accompanied by the warmth one typically carried when speaking of their motherland. Atem's voice was cold and full of resignation.

"Anything you wish to tell me. You could tell me of fond memories, or of the places important to your history. Anything you like," Yuugi persisted.

"I'm sorry to disappoint, but recalling fond memories of the people who so willingly gave me away to save themselves comes as a difficult task!" 

Yuugi hadn't anticipated this sort of response to his prying.

Silence followed Atem's outburst, and shame seemed to burn in the tips of his ears. No element of secrecy shrouded the fact that the arrival of the human offering exceeded expectations of the past, and they did such due to reasons that Aknamkanon had created of his own accord through a spiral into greed and recklessness. The sacrificial prince they'd taken in as an offering of peace was a spectacle for sure, and while the current Pharaoh's inspiration behind this gift of blood was under question, it seemed the royal court, himself included, had yet to consider the weight of misfortune Atem carried. While Yuugi never expected the role of tending to this sort of gift, he would give the palace's newest guest a show of hospitality on the grandest scale imaginable. 

Yuugi stood, sliding off of the windowsill wordlessly before his eyes met Atem's. While Atem’s people offered him no comfort in the time they traded him for peace, Yuugi would fill that role himself.

"Follow me."

"I- I'm sorry I hadn't-" Atem began to stammer, finally attempting to present Yuugi with a response.

"Hush, come with me. I have something to show you."

Yuugi led the way for Atem, never speaking a word but giving the occasional glance back to make sure his companion hadn't gotten lost throughout the foreign halls of his home. The celebration and festivities ceased after the feast came to a close, and the halls were silent save for their footsteps against the cold marble floors. Through a secluded passage Atem nearly passed in his ignorance, the two of them stepped outside into the chill of the night underneath the dark cathedral of the heavens.

"Look," Yuugi faced the open air, "this is my garden. It houses all of the surviving flowering plants that your kingdom has gifted us since the Domino agreement was signed. Not all of them survived until the current year, as is to be expected after a near century, but..."

Yuugi's arms gestured wide to the grounds of the courtyard. Drops of dew illuminated every leaf, bud, and blossoming petal, bathed under the pale light of the full moon hanging huge and bright in the dark sky. They grew in every corner of the garden, flowers long having been memorized as native from Yuugi's childhood intermixed with gifts from ages ago bred again every year that flourished together.

"We take great pride in the peace we've cultivated, and we preserve every gift given to us to the best of our abilities. While I'm certain the thought of being sent away to honor the agreement between our peoples in place of the traditional offerings must feel unimaginably demeaning, our kingdom will see that you are taken care of. You weren't sent to die here."

"Although I understand coming here was never your intent," Yuugi said, his voice lowering into a soft murmur, stepping closer to Atem, "it's a beautiful place to be, and I'll show you every inch of the palace. You'll be free to visit wherever you like once I do, whenever you like. I don't expect that you'll fall in love with my home at the drop of a hat, but... perhaps with time, you can learn to appreciate some of it." 

Silence blanketed the midnight scenery, but it no longer carried the same tension it had before. Some of the gift prince's anger had subsided, quieted and dulled into the shadows of the garden. 

"I'll try to keep an open mind," Atem complied with some reluctance, but the mood drastically shifted within these small interactions. It was enough for Yuugi tonight, at least until the morning sun took its place high in the heavens. He escorted Atem to an empty chamber room, provided him with a fresh set of clothing to wear as he slept, and allowed him the privacy Yuugi was certain he desired. 

The night passed, and the morning sun rose over the horizon and broke dawn over the land of the demons. Light filtered in through the glass of the windowpanes and stained Yuugi's room with bright rays of daylight to pull him from the depths of his slumber. On any other occasion, the prince would've lingered in bed at least an hour longer on a day when his schedule didn't demand his attendance or direct his attention to matters of decorum or other royal responsibilities. However, something much more interesting than the subject of dreams remained for him to explore outside of his bedroom.

Thus, Yuugi began the arduous task of dragging himself out of the embrace of silken sheets and opted to don day clothes. 

Now dressed and properly ready to face the day, Yuugi stepped out of his chamber to make his morning rounds of breakfast and greeted any passing members of the royal court. Afterward, he prepared to meet the new prince that graced his palace.

With a tray of food balanced in the palm of one hand, Yuugi knocked at Atem's door, ready to welcome him to the waking world and meet him in a better place than the two of them met in the night prior. A grumble from beyond the door met his pointed ear, but he heard no request to keep out, and thus Yuugi pushed inside to find his prince struggling to fold the elaborate sheets of fabric against his body in the same fashion he'd worn them in the day prior. Yuugi fought to bite back a smile at the sight of it and set down the tray of breakfast atop the dresser that sat in Atem's chamber.

"Perhaps I could help you with that?" Yuugi offered as he closed the door behind him, preserving Atem's modesty as best he could.

"I am capable of dressing myself on my own," he quarreled, growing frustrated with the way one fabric slipped just as he managed to secure one in the correct place.

"I'm certain you are, your highness, but I imagine it would be much more efficient to have a second person assist you. I was sure yesterday there were servants at your side to help you with this, as it was so extravagant. Allow me the honor to serve you here, my prince," Yuugi persuaded, willing to take the place of a servant if it meant he could be closer to Atem. 

"Fine," Atem succumbed to Yuugi's gentle coercion and rationality, turning to face his back to the other, "help me wrap my waist, first."

Yuugi approached, and with Atem's instruction, tucked the fabrics that secured his skirt in place with a relative ease and began to decorate the other's bronze throat with gold. His imagination couldn't supply a reason for the people of Atem's homeland to give him away with such ease unless the state of affairs between their kingdoms was one of a much more volatile nature than his grandfather informed him. Atem was more than a gift that honored a centuries-old tradition between their two cultures, but a blessing bestowed upon him. His skin was something sacred, his eyes a treasure more alluring than any jewel.

"Your attire is stunning, my prince, but it's too extravagant to wear every day here," Yuugi hummed as he crowned the other with strand after strand of gold. "I'll be sure to see you measured for attire more suited for everyday life here."

"I suppose it would be best I understand the cultural differences in this place," Atem agreed, "but I want to keep these. I won't have you take these robes from me."

"The thought had never crossed my mind. They look much too lovely on you for me to even consider keeping these clothes from you," Yuugi's voice a gentle wave of reassurance, "besides, it wouldn't be right to take something from your home in Khemet away from you. I'm almost sure it's a sin..."

Yuugi wrapped Atem's cape over his shoulders in the same fashion he'd worn it in the day before and admired him in the calm quiet that settled in the room. Yuugi adored the glimpses of the neighboring lands he'd never been able to see for himself since he was a child. Once he reached the age of sixteen, King Solomon humored him and bestowed upon him the privileges of understanding and preserving the gifts that arrived in their palace from the human kingdoms, specifically Khemet. When Atem knelt before the throne, Yuugi imagined vying for every opportunity he could find as well as the ones he could manipulate into existence to learn of the place his kind was barred from visiting on a casual basis.

However, Yuugi never suspected he would be far more interested in the individual rather than his home. 

"I've brought breakfast, for you. I thought that I could show you around the palace afterward," he said, "I think I've said it before, but my home is entirely open to you. You're free to visit any corner of this palace whenever you like, aside from court discussions and my grandfather's chambers, unless you're invited, of course. I doubt you have any interest in that, however."

"Yes," Atem agreed to the arrangements, his shoulders relaxing, "I'd like that."

The two of them ate together, Yuugi occasionally having to encourage Atem to try a dish from his culture, and later led him through the halls he'd memorized within his adolescence. They chatted through the gardens and shared similar stories of youth and the hijinx that accompanied it. While Atem was still more reserved in his speech than other friends that lived within his kingdom, Yuugi held hope that Atem could one day come to accept his life here, and perhaps harbor some affection for the land he loved and vowed to serve as its prince.

Perhaps he and Atem were not so different in their princehood. Atem came, although with bitterness in his breast, to stay in the land of his adversaries to preserve a peacetime that kept his people safe from wars of the past. Yuugi understood the motivations that brought him here as well as the reasons he resented the fate he'd been dealt. While his own people were victorious in the conflicts of their bloodied history, and their recent and ongoing advancements in technologies and magics would prove the same outcome if a similar conflict arose, there were no victors when wars of such enormous a scale waged on. Yuugi would do anything, even if it went against his constitution, to prevent such a thing from coming to fruition again.

Yuugi admired seeing such dedication from his equal, meant to be one that he would one day tolerate or respect at best. The new development was a pleasant surprise, and Yuugi hoped the relationship between them could bloom into an unlikely friendship. Yuugi visited him often in the week following the ceremony, and there hadn't been a day that passed they didn't see each other to hold a conversation, and more often than not, Yuugi put aside time in the day to meet him within the garden more formally.

Today, he'd brought a game common within Khemetic communities and was pleased to see it was one Atem was particularly fond of. 

"You play Mehen?" Atem asked, leaning back in his chair with a smile as he folded his arms, "I'm not sure you'll want to challenge me to a match. Perhaps you should bring a game I'm not quite as familiar with, that is, if you'd like to have any chance of winning."

"Oh, so I see you do play?" Yuugi said, a coy grin dancing across his lips, "and here I was concerned that you'd have been too busy with diplomacy and _actual_ work to familiarize yourself with these sorts of entertainment. How wonderful to know the Kings of Khemet are more interested in amusement than the arts of advancement."

"Bah!" Atem scoffed at him, a smirk on his face, "there's always time in between decorum and poise for a game to challenge one's wit. Besides, Mehen might as well be in my blood, how can you compete with that?"

"Hmm, if Mehen runs through your veins, then luck flows through mine. I'll show you exactly how well I can play, despite a lack of heritage with this particular game," Yuugi said, pulling an ornately carved board out of the box he'd stored it in, setting the game pieces into play and watching the challenge unfold. 

Yuugi cherished every twist in turn in the game that led them through, every toss of the throwing sticks that pulled them further into a conversation and closer to deciding a victor. In the end, Yuugi claimed the victory in Atem's own game.

"I've never known anyone to be able to cheat in Mehen," Atem said, slouching to inspect the board to be sure Yuugi had indeed won, "but I'm having a difficult time believing what I've seen just now..."

"Oh, don't be such a sore loser. Mehen is a game of luck, anyone who understands the rules can win," Yuugi said, "but if it soothes your pride any, it was a narrow victory. You nearly had me at the end."

"Then I suppose I'll have to concede defeat, and congratulate you on your success," Atem allowed, "but I'll take the next victory when I challenge you to a rematch later on."

"If you're so sure of your abilities, then we could reset the board and go again now," Yuugi offered, a smile curled on his lips as he waited for an answer from his darling companion. 

"Perhaps later. For now, I've been satisfied in regards to games," Atem averted his eyes from Yuugi, and instead settled his gaze upon the board.

There was a pause in spoken word, and Yuugi could sense even through the stillness in the air, something burned upon Atem's tongue that desired to be said. Yuugi relaxed and settled into the back of his chair, and ceased with his teasing and any further talk of Mehen. Had he perhaps said something to upset him that he had yet to realize? 

The unreadable expression on his face vanished as a figure from the royal court appeared in the garden, and Atem's countenance soured. 

"Your Royal Highness," the tall figure crooned as he placed a hand on Yuugi's shoulder, and glanced down at him, "the king would like you to join him in the throne room for our next meeting." 

"Mm? Is that so? If that's what he wants, I'll attend," Yuugi said, "when is it starting?"

"In one hour, sir," he said, "I hope to see you there."

"Thank you, Pegasus," Yuugi said, disinterested in anything further, "now if you'll excuse me, I am currently involved in other matters."

"Of course," the other relented and removed his hand from Yuugi's shoulder to leave the gardens. Yuugi watched him make his exit and turned to face Atem once more.

"Sorry, I suppose I'll have to cut our meeting short today, but while we're still here, was there something on your mind?" Yuugi asked, leaning in and devoting the entirety of his attention to Atem.

"No, nothing," Atem said, waving off Yuugi's concern with a flick of his wrist, "I suppose I should make my exit, now."

"Wait," Yuugi said, reaching out to brush the tips of his fingers against Atem's palm and urging him to stay, "at least stay to help me put away the game pieces? And then I'll escort you to wherever you're headed next."

"I don't need you to accompany me, I've become familiar with the palace by now," Atem insisted, "but I'll stay a moment longer to help you with the pieces."

And thus he did, although Yuugi couldn't prevent the sinking disappointment that curled in his chest that their time together would be cut short by palace affairs. The week before, he was certain his grandfather had told him he would not have to attend this meeting, and yet he was now being summoned with only an hour's notice? What changed in such a short period that it demanded his attention? To Yuugi's earliest memory of him, Solomon never did things without purpose. His grandfather hadn't fallen ill, had he? No, no, Solomon was in perfect health, surely this was more of his grandfather's concern that he remained involved with their political climate, considering he was his only living heir.

In the midst of Yuugi's distraction over his change in schedule, he hadn't noticed Atem's reach, and their fingers touched over the last remaining lioness on the board.

"Oops, sorry," Yuugi’s voice lilted with a lightness akin to laughter, glancing up to Atem's eyes as he collected the game piece and stored it and the board it had been resting on into its case.

"I think I'll take my leave now," Atem turned to leave, and Yuugi could only watch as he disappeared into the palace.

Yuugi would have liked to have followed him, to have known what thoughts lingered in his mind before his grandfather's advisor appeared over his shoulder and interrupted. Even if he hadn't had to attend his grandfather's meeting, he doubted his company or his gentlest words could have convinced Atem to tell him of the things he kept from him, let alone soothe the troubles that silenced him and stole him out of his garden.


	3. Imprint

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Get ready for some major plot points!

Atem's blood boiled for reasons he wished he could name, and reasons he wished he could bury neatly beneath the dark earth all the same. From the earliest years of his life, from the tender ages of his youth, from the moment he'd been able to comprehend the voices of his father and his tutors, Atem was taught to resent the neighboring kingdom they'd delivered him to just over a week ago. Now, however, he was at the mercy of demons, their awful presence surrounding him at any moment of the day. 

To make matters worse, he didn't feel the same loathing once taught to him, nor the same fears that encapsulated him in the days he was forced to ride as a passenger into the forbidden kingdom.

Instead, Atem found that he enjoyed the luxury given to him here. He liked the lack of demand. Most of all, however, he cherished the time he spent in the company of the demon prince. Atem took delight in the conversations the two of them were able to share, the Mehen matches, and the respect he offered him even now. Yuugi was the only one who treated him as a prince since the day his people elected him as the sacrifice to save them all.

He loathed it.

Atem never once intended to love the lands or the people who nearly destroyed the home he lived inside and came just a hair's width away from wiping out his bloodline just over a century ago. Every shred of his flesh and ancestry should have burned with rage at the thought of being inside their palace or be so near to their wicked and vile magics. The life here, however, did not follow the dichotomy of black and white as he anticipated. His existence would have been so much easier if he could damn it all to the images of his nightmares, the fire and brimstone of war. 

However, he couldn't find a trace of carnage, no bloodshed in any corner of the palace. Instead, marble statues, fountains, and lush gardens filled the open courtyards in their place. Conflict raged inside of him, and Yuugi only pushed his state of dissonance to the extremes. His kindness condemned him to see more than the past, and his charm ensnared him in the claws of desire.

In the gardens, Atem nearly admitted to finding some beauty in Yuugi's home like some love-sickened fool, before one of the king's men appeared to interrupt the moment and make Atem realize the monumental error in his thinking. Perhaps it would've been a blessing that it happened if he hadn't witnessed him run his fingers along Yuugi's shoulder so familiarly to catch his attention, or his voice hadn't drawled with such affection over him, or if his involvement hadn't reminded Atem that he was entirely out of his depths.

And then he felt Yuugi's fingers brush against his own. It was a simple touch that lasted no longer than three seconds, but somehow it made his cheeks flush and heat with unbridled and inexplicable emotion. Yuugi followed it by looking up to him through a thick frame of lashes, and his full lips whispering an innocent apology.

The interaction flooded his mind, a thick haze composed of their last interactions caught him in its filthy, white-knuckled grip.

He sat alone in his chambers while Yuugi undoubtedly readied himself for whatever matters held such importance that snatched his companionship away from him. Considering Atem's new status as an object meant to preserve peace, no higher in rank than the garden flowers, anything could have been the culprit. He despised it. 

Atem raked his fingers back through his thick coils of hair as he contemplated a fate different than what he considered on the carriage ride into the demon kingdoms. Locking himself into his chambers and weeping seemed tempting at the moment, but as a prince in name, a desire lingered in his heart to preserve some of his dignity. At least he still held freedom enough to decide between tears and trying to protect his image, and the privacy to do either behind the shelter of a closed door.

*** 

Yuugi was uninterested in attending his grandfather's meeting. Trading away his seat in his garden across from Atem underneath golden shafts of sunlight that spilled from the spaces between ivory white clouds for a chair in the stuffy throne room where he could feel Pegasus' gaze bore into his skin seemed terribly unfair. Still, he made no complaints, as it must have been pertinent if his grandfather insisted he sit in to hear. However, it did little to prevent him from stifling yawns in the stuffy silence that pervaded the room.

Soon, but not soon enough for Yuugi's tastes, the advisors and other high-ranking court members filed into their seats and the room directed their attention to Solomon. 

"As you all should be aware by now," Solomon began in a funeral toned seriousness, "our relationship and multiple of our trade agreements with the human kingdom have been put under severe strain as of late due to Aknamkanon's reign. While the most recent offering from Khemet is a promising show of remorse on their part for their transgressions, faith and good deeds are not enough to repair the issues they've caused as of late..."

Yuugi snapped out of his stupor when the human kingdom was mentioned within his grandfather's speech. While he understood that Aknamkanon's peoples had never been overly forthcoming with their ends of trade deals, Solomon only spoke of it previously as a minor inconvenience rather than with such severity. What could have happened to provoke this?

"While I find no need to escalate any tensions with our neighbors in Khemet yet, it is imperative that we account for these changes as soon as possible before it procures any adverse effects on any corner of our kingdom."

Yuugi managed to relax enough that he could sink back into the seat of his chair, but suddenly he regretted attending this meeting a considerably lesser amount. How much had he missed in skipping out on the nonmandatory court sessions? He knew that they varied in importance, sometimes as simple as planning the menu for feasts, but to think only last week this wasn't considered important enough not to demand his attendance earlier was disconcerting.

"To offset any potential damages, I propose we tour the kingdom and visit the leaders of our separate sects to alert them of the changes in certain dealings, as well as to promote unity and diplomatic relationships. If anyone opposes or has questions concerning the nature of this course of action, speak now or refrain from further interruption."

A moment of quiet had passed with no issues before Solomon proceeded to discuss details and roles of his court, dedicating advisors to assembling caravans and food stores, as well as the course of travel they would take to tour most efficiently through the current season. The conversations went on, discussing the duration of time the trip would take as well as costs that their kingdom would spend to compensate for the tour, as well as where the funding would come from with the most minute backlash. Any option discussed came at a much smaller price than what stood to be lost if they didn't inform the areas most affected by trade.

Meanwhile, Yuugi was still stewing quietly over the element of shock that encompassed this news. He could attempt to divulge information from his grandfather later on, but for now, he observed pensively from his seat. 

The meeting closed, and as the room began to clear, Solomon called out to his grandson so he might have a private word with him. 

"Yuugi," he addressed cordially despite their shared lineage, "I think it would be best you joined me on the caravan. Considering you have quite a few friends in other regions, it would be nice to have you come along for diplomatic purposes as well as for your leisure."

"Well, I'd never refuse a visit to the Fae labyrinths, and I'd enjoy picking up some more sheers from the Djinni markets," Yuugi agreed. From the sounds of this meeting, it seemed like he had no room to miss another second of the affairs of their kingdom.

"Oh, fantastic. I'm sure the other nobles will be pleased to see you there," Solomon said before turning to leave, "I'm pleased to see you're taking the initiative. I know that one day you'll do a fine job making decisions for this nation on your own." 

"Wait, Grandpa," Yuugi called, "how long has this been going on? This decline on the human's behalf?"

"Oh, Yuugi. It's always been this way. It had been rather gradual, so it wasn't until we took the amount under further inspection that we'd realized. It's nothing to concern yourself with; it's just time we return to being self-sufficient with minor contributions from the humans."

"And that's it? No drastic violations?" 

"And that's it. There's no need to concern yourself any further. Just prepare yourself to leave with the caravan in two weeks time."

"Of course, I'll be ready," Yuugi agreed.

*** 

Atem sulked around the palace, cautious around every corner, attempting to avoid Yuugi as best he could. Fortunately and unfortunately, the meeting kept Yuugi from wandering the halls, and he wasn't forced to look upon him in all of his intoxicating grace or poisonous allure. Instead, he was in the privacy of his own company, roaming without anyone at his side.

He wasn't sure he preferred this, truthfully.

Still, Atem pressed forward and made his rounds in some search for clarity or peace. Whichever came first, most likely.

He traveled further and further down the halls until the rays of evening twilight that filtered in through a pair of glass doors caught his gaze. Looking out, Atem found what appeared to be another entrance to the gardens that he would meet Yuugi in on a regular basis, just as lush and vibrant as it had been from any other angle.

Perhaps their rendezvous point wasn't the ideal place for Atem to linger while he was trying to quiet the thoughts of the demon prince who plagued his waking thoughts. However, it called to him, and Atem was powerless to refuse the fresh air and small shred of his home preserved in the refuge of Yuugi's garden. 

He breathed in the fragrance of flowers that dominated the space, his fingertips reaching out to feel smooth petals, and his thoughts melted away to recall nothing but Yuugi. The brush of their hands during their last meeting, the warmth of his touch, the color of his eyes more dazzling than any flower in the courtyard...

The sharp snap of a branch pulled him out of his sickeningly romantic thoughts and sent a shock rushing up his spine. Turning his head to the source of the sound supplied him with the realization he was not alone in Yuugi's garden.

Thankfully, it was not the demon prince himself, but instead, a blonde trimming the flowering bushes, a large pair of shears in his hands. Atem heaved a sigh of relief in seeing it was only a servant.

However, this deep exhale alerted the other figure in the garden to his otherwise silent presence. Atem hadn't expected him to approach, considering the divide in their status, but apparently, it hadn't deterred him in the slightest.

"I know you," he said, his eyes glancing from Atem's crown to his heels, as if to confirm his identity to himself, "you're that,  
uh, human prince, right? I've seen you around the gardens with Yu- er, the prince, all this week. You waiting on him now?"

"No, he's with the King at the moment. There's a meeting with the royal court in session now." 

"Really? He's not usually interested."

"His majesty sent out a last minute request."

"Well, that'd do it. My name's Joseph, but you seem to get along well enough with our prince, so you might as well call me Joey like everyone else 'round here," he continued to trim the flowering bushes as he spoke, plucking off dead blooms and letting them fall.

Atem would've attempted to ignore him on any other circumstance. He didn't leave his chambers so he could attempt conversation with total strangers, nor did he have any interest in it. However, the final moments of his time shared with the prince lingered in the forefront of his mind, and the way bone-white fingers sprawled across his shoulder made him seethe.

"You seem like you know the prince particularly well?" Atem said, more of a question than it was a statement.

"Sure, known him since we were children. Still talk to each other whenever there's a chance," he laughed at this, "honestly, powerful as he is, he'd make me nervous if I didn't know he was such a romantic. You humans probably aren't so interested in hearin' about shadow divination, though, are you?"

"Not... not particularly," Atem said, unsure he held desires to hear what truth lied in the fables of war that his tutors recounted to him, "but, do you know anything about the King's advisor... Pegasus? He seemed pretty familiar with Yuugi."

"Oh, everyone knows about him, 'cept maybe the King. He's always tryin' to get closer to Yuugi, you know, so when the King passes he'll still have a place next to the throne, even if it's as Yuugi's consort," The servant chuckled, "Yuugi's not interested in any of that, not with him, anyway."

Atem felt his shoulders relax and a sigh of relief escaped him in hearing this. The servant, however, was too perceptive to allow even this small action to go unnoticed.

He cocked a blonde brow, a smirk on his lips, "y'know, I had a suspicion you weren't into princesses when I first saw you here. You like him?"

"What?" Atem asked, appalled at the mere suggestion of attraction, "no! Of course I'm not, that would be absurd."

And yet Atem flushed at the idea, the tips of his ears burning as Yuugi flooded his mind, the venoms of Yuugi's charms seeming more than capable of incapacitating him with just the mention of his name.

"Oh gods," the other said, nearly incredulous before he doubled over with unrestrained laughter for reasons Atem could not decipher and only served to further fluster him.

"What is the meaning of this? What are you laughing for?" Atem demanded, a rush of blood coloring his already dark complexion.

"You've imprinted on him!" the servant managed in between breaths of laughter, and Atem could not help but feel that he was the center of a joke that he'd yet to figure out.

"I've done no such thing!" Atem insisted, although unsure what he was protesting, "what does that mean? Imprinting?"

Joey had forced himself to recover from laughing, wiping a tear from his eye. He drew in a deep breath and straightened his posture to his original standing height where he towered over Atem.

"Look, imprinting doesn't happen very often 'round here anymore, so sorry if I don't have all my details right but," he began, "some demons have... let's call them 'attractive forces' about them. These are mostly concubus and nymphs, far as I know, and sometimes an imprint happens when one of these demons hangs around a different sort for a while, or when they touch, or kiss, or any of those other couple-y things."

The rather uncouth suggestion was followed by Joey raising his eyebrows, a smirk lining his lips, to make the implication clear.

"I've hardly known him for a week!" Atem fussed, "and we certainly haven't... been intimate, as you're suggesting!"

The thought, however, wasn't nearly as repulsive as it should've been, being captured in the demon prince's warm embrace.

"Well, that's the thing. It's possible for two demons of different backgrounds to imprint, but," Joey's grin returned to his face as he looked down to Atem, "humans are 'specially vulnerable to these kinds of charms, so it's not necessary."

Atem fumed, frustration nearly seeping from his pores and steaming from his ears at these sort of accusations, and even more distraught that there could be truth within them.

"And what makes you think that I've imprinted on this kingdom's prince?" 

"Oh come on, nothin' to be ashamed of here. Have you seen Yuugi? He's cute, you wouldn't be the only one interested in him, and considering you're human? I'm sure no one would be too surprised."

How wrong he was, how ignorant he must've been not to know what shame lied in this awful infatuation, and the sin in this temptation cast shame on his ancestors that were slaughtered at the hands of demons. And to think that his human heritage was what made him so susceptible made him sick with grief.

"What are the effects of this, this imprint?" Atem asked, not about to admit to the diagnosis before he fully knew of it.

"Well, the attraction's the most noticeable," Joey humored him, "it's almost addictive, being around them, from what I've heard."

"What else?" Atem demanded.

"There's also withdrawal from being away from them for a while. On your mind, until you can be around them again. These wear off after the imprint's been, uh, finished."

"What happens once it's been finished?" 

"It lets up, then it's like being in love with anyone else, except a little stronger, harder to fall out of."

"But, there are ways to prevent the imprint from finishing?"

"Mmm, there's only one way I know of that doesn't involve potions, and I always manage to get those mixed up," he said, running his palm along his chin, "and that's to avoid seeing them, at least for a week, maybe more for you. There's something I'm forgetting, it's on the tip o' my tongue..."

Fate placed Atem back at square one, alone and isolated in a foreign land, abandoned by his people. What a mistake to believe that some demon prince, no matter how lovely or kind, could ever make him at home here. How wicked, wicked, wicked it was for Yuugi to have convinced him otherwise and to have left him with these ridiculous notions of romance burning in his breast.

Hot tears welled up in his eyes and ran down his cheeks. How could this happen to him?

"...Right. Extreme emotions."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the support in previous chapters! Updates are on Fridays at approximately 3pm in EDT. 
> 
> Stay tuned!


	4. Choices

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No new chapter next week, taking the time off to do some illustrations instead! Regular chapter scheduling should return the following week.

The hot tears that flowed from Atem's eyes, whether rational or not, did not take pause when Joey explained that they were merely another side effect of the imprint. Instead, it only seemed to exacerbate the absurd despair that overwhelmed him. Still, perhaps the circumstances weren't only shrouded in dread and misfortune, considering his new acquaintance wrapped an arm around his shoulders and offered to escort him to his chambers while the situation left him so emotionally compromised and vulnerable. Perhaps the demons didn't make such unfortunate company as Atem had previously thought.

But he still didn't enjoy this, and how could he when the event left him so emotionally compromised? It seemed like around every corner, another obstacle lay in wait for him. Just once he thought he’d adjusted to this new world and found some comfort in it, there was always something to tear any consolation he found away from him.

"It's alright, you know? This emotional part will wear off after a little while. You just need to let the imprint finish so things can get back to normal," Joey tried to convince him, but Atem's suffering was entirely inconsolable. 

"No, no," Atem wept, "none of this is normal, none of it will ever be normal!"

"Oh hush, there are worse people you could've imprinted on. You're emotional right now; I get it, but y'don't need to be so dramatic about it," Joey scolded lightly as he led Atem to sit down on the downy bedding of the chamber mattress, "not to mention you're messing your eyes up like that."

There was truth in the servant's observations, as Atem's kohl had run and smeared beneath his glassy eyes. He attempted to rectify this, running a finger against his damp lashes in a feeble effort to clean his face of the sooty black stains that lingered on his bronze cheek.

"Oh, now that's not doing you any favors, here, take this," he continued on, placing a cloth napkin into his hand that Atem wiped off his kohl with.

"Why are you still here?" 

"Oh, did you think I was going to leave you alone like this? I figure I'll play fill in for Yuugi until you can have him back. Doesn't seem right to let you cry all by yourself in here."

"I don't need this- you're not my keeper, and neither is Yuugi, for that matter!" Atem protested through the raw emotion the imprint drew out of him that had nestled so deep inside him from the moment he knew his fate, destined to die here.

"For fuck's sake, are all of you humans this way?"

"What?" Atem said. The insinuation of something wrong being an inheritance of his people put a stopper on his tears for the moment.

"Do none of you accept help? Or are people in your home just so damn independent you can't even imagine trusting another person to comfort you?"

Atem went silent, any argument in defense of his home in Khemet died on his tongue. To sit beside this servant and be forced to recognize the unsavory truth in his words was truly a bitter bread to taste. 

Perhaps Joey's assumptions were all correct. Perhaps Atem's horrid thoughts and overreactions were just that, intangible and unreal. Perhaps he needed to move on from his people who so obviously had moved forward from him, and his father who didn't dare to follow him to the realm of demons to wish him farewell.

But things of such a nature were too painful to admit, to himself and especially to others. Atem cast his gaze towards the floor and away from Joey, unable to look at him.

"Sorry. I'm sure the prince wouldn't like to hear me talkin' to you that way, but would it really kill you to let someone try to be nice to you?" Joey's shoulders slumped back into his previous posture, relaxing.

Maybe Atem could afford the luxuries of trying to enjoy the company of another, even in this strange new land. Tonight, however, he desired nothing more than solitude after the revelation of the imprint that formed between he and the prince. 

"I would like to be alone right now," Atem said, finding some of his composure despite his heartache and inner turmoils.

"Alright, if you're sure," Joey sighed, but granted Atem's wish nonetheless, "but if you change your mind, I'll be out in the gardens for a little while longer before I turn in."

Atem watched as the servant departed from his room, a grateful exhale falling from his lips as he closed his chamber door behind him. He collapsed onto the mattress of his bed and wished for nothing more than to disappear beneath a wash of dreams and to forget the events of the night, forget the inconvenience of his attraction. Perhaps if he hoped hard enough, he could wake up in the morning fresh and new and shed this intoxicating infatuation like dead skin and embrace his new home. 

Atem was familiar with prayer. However, even the prince of Khemet and every ounce of spirituality passed down through royal bloodlines knew not which deity, if any, could cleanse him of such a thing. Without the cosmic insight to take any further actions, Atem turned to his earthly intuitions and tucked himself into satin sheets to sleep and retire any disconcerting thoughts that arose throughout the day. 

Such an idyllic approach did nothing but fill Atem’s head with fantasies and falsehoods.

Sleep did little to cure his current predicament, and instead tightened the vice grip of the imprint. Yuugi's face appeared throughout his dreams, his voice a lilting serenade that curled into his ears, his touch a warm blessing that both his flesh and heart desperately sought for more of. Yuugi's charm hypnotized him, captivated him, consumed him down to the very marrow of his bones, and still, he needed more.

When dawn broke and shed the first light of morning across the horizon, Atem woke drenched in sweat, his golden hair clung to bronzed temples and high cheekbones, his breath short, and his blood burning hotter than a fever pitch. Atem anticipated the mental aspects of the imprint to come but never had he imagined this affair to affect him in such a physical sense. He shuddered with the sudden revelation, experience being his cruelest teacher yet.

Every symptom left him wanting, needing, begging his dignity to allow himself to tear out of his sheets and search Yuugi out and never let him leave his side.

He would've, too, if his pride hadn't remained so horribly intact throughout the event. Thus, he vacillated between pacing the floor of his bedroom and attempting to fall back asleep. Thoughts of eating breakfast, getting dressed, or other aspects of his morning routine vanished from his mind, with the demon prince claiming the forefront of his mind. 

Any shred of calm that existed in Atem disappeared when he heard a knock on the door, followed by Yuugi's voice. 

"Your highness?" he called, "I'm sorry that I had to cut short our visit to the gardens yesterday afternoon, but I've brought you breakfast, and I'd love to make it up to you if you'd be so kind as to let me in." 

Atem shuddered in hearing his voice. Oh, Yuugi was so kind to him, despite his storming off in the courtyard, shunning his sweetness, and avoiding him for the rest of the evening. He leaned against the door to his chambers, his fingers ghosting over the wooden frame.

"Is that so?" Atem asked, and it took every ounce of willpower in him not to exhale in some tender sigh, "how kind of you."

"Yes, please let me join you for breakfast. I'd love to indulge you in every detail of the meeting, there's something I'd like to tell you that I think you'd find... most interesting."

Atem clung onto every word that came from Yuugi’s lips, leaning into the door. The palm of his hand lingered over the glinting gold of the door handle, tempted, so tempted, to give in to this imprint and eat breakfast beside Yuugi. So terribly did he want to hear his sharp quips alongside his honey-sweet voice. 

"I would love to... but I'm feeling rather ill this morning. Perhaps another day," Atem croaked out, his better judgment forcing the second part of his statement out of his throat. 

"Ah, I see," Yuugi said, not arguing against Atem's blatant lie, but even through the thick material of the door, it was impossible to miss the disappointment in his voice, "shall I leave the food outside your door? Or would you prefer I take it back?"

"No, leave it, please," Atem said, strained from the effort it took not to slam the door open and invite Yuugi inside despite being half dressed, "thank you for this."

"Of course, I hope you feel up to talking soon. Get well, dear prince," Yuugi said, and with Atem's ear pressed against the door, he could hear the other place the tray of breakfast just outside for him before he took his leave. 

Atem remained with his cheek glued to the door for a few minutes feeling his heart thrum. Once certain Yuugi was out of range, he finally cracked open his door to retrieve the tray of breakfast the other so graciously gave to him. 

It wasn't until Atem had bit into the sweet bread and fruit Yuugi had brought to him that he realized he'd grown ravenous with hunger curling deep into his stomach. The thought and desire to be at the prince's side eclipsed any inkling of concern for his other needs. As Atem thumbed traces of crumbs from his plate into his mouth, he realized the scale of how trying a week without Yuugi would be.

***

With Atem's sudden bout of illness ruining his plans for breakfast, Yuugi took to the gardens to join Joey for the remainder of the morning instead- or as long as he could keep him around for company before he would inevitably have to return to his work.

"It's nice to finally have some time to see you, Joey. It's been a while since we've gotten to see each other so casually," Yuugi greeted, composed and cordial as per usual.

"Oh, come on, Yuugi. I like seeing you for sure, but I'm sure there's something else on your mind if you wanted to see me this mornin', right?" Joey drawled, leaning into the back of his chair.

"Well, there's no putting anything past you, is there?" Yuugi laughed, "Sometimes it worries me how perceptive you've become. It makes it much harder to play tricks on you these days."

"After everything you put me through while your tutors taught you illusion magic? I think I've learned my lesson," Joey said, his nose scrunched up at the memory. "So what's going on? You goin' to tell me or do I have to start guessing?"

"Alright, I'll get to it," Yuugi said with a wave of his hand before giving in to his dear friend's prying. "I'm not sure if you knew, but yesterday I was urged to join one of the royal court's meetings on matters pertaining to the current political affairs."

"Yeah, I might've heard something like that. Something serious?"

"Not as far as I know just yet, but what I do know is there's going to be a caravan trip across the demonic territories, and I'll be going," Yuugi said, his voice low as if the shrubbery would betray the crown if he spoke too loudly.

"Somehow I don't think you're telling me so you can ask what I want for a souvenir."

"Well, considering General Valentine is a very busy woman, I doubt there's anything I'm capable of bringing back could compare to what you’d want," Yuugi teased, an all too satisfied smile curling on his lips.

"Oh come on, are you going to keep talking about that forever? Get on with it,” Joey flushed, a frown wrinkling his expression

"Alright. Well, about the trip, I’m considering inviting Atem to accompany me on the tour. I thought it would be good for him to see the kingdom this way, and that it could help him adjust to life here," Yuugi managed to explain, "but yesterday evening, and now this morning, it seems like he's been avoiding me. Should I even ask him to join me? Or am I overstepping my boundaries?"

"I think it would be a grand idea to bring him along," Joey said, taking a sip from his glass, "I bet spending time with you would probably be the best thing for him, considering he just imprinted on you."

A pause stilled the air as Yuugi struggled to acknowledge the truth in what his friend had just told him. The tension between them had a concrete physiological explanation, and it took Joey to figure it out for him. Where credit deserved to be given when it was due, and Joey had indeed earned it, an element of the present circumstances bothered him.

"How did you find this out, and why on earth didn't you tell me earlier?" Yuugi asked cheeks flushed as he realized Atem's reasons for the distance he placed between them.

"Well, sometimes I like to have a conversation with my friend that doesn't involve his new pretty prince, you know? Sometimes I want to be asked how my day went, too. I've barely sat down, and it's all been Atem this, prince that," Joey frowned in peak melodramatic form.

"Joey," Yuugi rubbed his temples, "you know how difficult it is for humans to go through most imprints? If you told me, I could've brewed a potion or worked on a spell that would've broken it."

"And you think that Atem, the human prince, wants to take a magic potion or have a spell cast on him?"

"The Khemetic lands still have priests and priestess that perform a more restricted set of rituals, especially for healing!"

"Yeah, sure. Maybe if Atem was back there, he'd allow it, but you're no human priest, Your Highness. You're a demon, and this imprint might be the best thing to happen to him if you'd just give him a little push and help him finish it. If it wasn't for this, I doubt he'd ever even think about this place, our home, and our people as anything more than what happened in the past."

It was anything but a frequent occurrence for Yuugi and Joey's opinions to differ with such a monumental divide between them. The prince's eyes darkened at the insinuation that Atem's world still tilted on the axis of the past after all the time the two of them had spent together, that Atem thought of him that way. He stood from his seat at the table, his hands gripping tight on its edges.

"Maybe so," Yuugi said, "but that's his choice to make, and I'm not about to deny him that."

Yuugi was undeniably a prince, not only in title but in the fierce righteousness and morality he carried in his heart and the dark promise that glimmered in his gaze that Joey had only seen reserved for a rare and dire circumstance.

"Yuugi, I've already told him about the imprint, he's trying to break it traditionally. By keeping away from you."

The demon prince, however, had heard enough from his friend. Joey, while he was someone close to him, didn't have nearly the extensive knowledge of humans that Yuugi had gained through years of diplomacy lessons and countless hours that he'd imposed upon himself through studies of the human kingdom. He turned on his heels with a fire burning in his beating heart and strode back into the palace with a new purpose, leaving Joey to tend to his own work once more. 

Joey sighed, not bothering to try and talk any more sense into him. He’s already far too aware that there were no words he could say to stop this.

In complete earnestness, Yuugi had never attempted spells or potions that dealt with imprints during his studies. Considering the few cultures possessing capabilities of causing such chemical infatuations were isolated from humans, there had been little concern surrounding it since ages ago. He supposed he had his mother's ancestry to thank for this.

Still, he'd be damned if he let inexperience deter him from easing Atem's burdens. He knew the rules of magics, he knew how to brew potions, and if he could handle the magics of healing potions, then reversing an infatuation should have been a simple affair.

'Should' seemed to be the highlight of his statement, as the materials for the potion he'd located within his almanac were relatively common and all available to him, the procedure itself was a much more complex affair. With a deep inhale and a crack of his knuckles, Yuugi began his work, collecting materials, hunching over his desk, and dedicating the entirety of his concentration to completing the task at hand.

It was exhaustive work. Never had a potion, and rarely had spells depleted so much of Yuugi's energy, and the complicated nature of the recipe resulted in one, two, nearly three failures before finally he'd done it. One reversed imprint glimmered a deep violet inside a crystal vial, and it took every ounce of strength in him not to take a nap after this, and instead, deliver this draught to Atem and cure his passions.

***

Keeping distance from Yuugi, despite the painstaking effort it took him to stay away, did nothing to quiet the presence of this fatal attraction. In Atem's opinion, it only worsened. 

Since he'd eaten earlier that morning, he'd given up his resolve in trying to break his imprint in the only way he'd known. He dressed himself, although not nearly as extravagantly as he had in the week prior, just having barely managed the will to button up his shirt. With newfound decency, he searched the castle gardens for his sweet prince only to come up empty-handed and returned to where he started. Alone, in his chambers, desperately waiting for the moment of opportunity that he could have Yuugi at his side once more.

How on earth had he expected himself to have survived a week of this torment? In the pursuit of pride, Atem imagined that abstaining from seeing his fellow prince would be an affair as simple as forgoing desserts or being without some shred of the lavishness he'd grown familiar with in his life as royalty. Instead, it became a much more involved affair.

It pained him to be without Yuugi, and Atem languished in the void left by his absence. Yuugi was a treasured breath of fresh air that he was left gasping without. He wished his pride hadn't prevented him from seeing him early in the morning before he disappeared into some unchecked corner of the enormity of the palace. Atem's heart ached with missing him, a tender sigh falling from his lips. Perhaps his brightest hope was to fall deeply asleep and see the other's sweet face in the clouds of his dreams as he had the night before. 

Until a knock came at his door, upon which any thought of sleep vanished from his mind.

"Atem? Please, let me in. I really need to talk to you," came Yuugi's dulcet tones from beyond the door, and Atem’s former resolve to resist him vanished, powerless to resist his charms.

Slowly, Atem pulled open the door bit by bit and drank in the sight of Yuugi who stood before him looking charmingly disheveled. He'd never thought those two words could come together so perfectly until this moment. It was an effort not to take him into his arms and beg him not to leave him alone for so long, contrary to what he'd said earlier in the day.

As Atem examined him further, however, he saw light bounce off of whatever Yuugi held in his careful grip.

"Atem," Yuugi whispered, his name a sweet caress on the prince's lips, "I know about the imprint. Joey told me everything." 

While Atem readied himself to relish in Yuugi's presence and give up his feeble attempts at breaking free from his infatuations, he wasn't prepared for Yuugi to share his knowledge on his current situation. His gaze fell away from the other, shame heating the tips of his ears.

"He told me that you were trying to break it on your own," he went on, "you never had to do this alone, Atem. This must've been so painful for you, but don't fret. I've brought you something that can take it away painlessly."

Yuugi showed him the vial he held in his hands to let him see the dark violet liquid that splashed within it. It shimmered in the light, and something sparkled inside of it.

"Will you come in?" Atem asked, inviting him to sit beside him on the chamber's divan. A previously unconsidered fear crept up his spine as Yuugi sat next to him. 

"I made this for you myself. It took a few tries, but I can say with perfect confidence that it's entirely safe, and if you take it, every trace of the imprint will disappear. It'll be exactly like it never happened, all symptoms gone," Yuugi said, proud of the creation he held in his hand.

"Exactly the same as before?" Atem asked, looking at it with thoughtful consideration clouding his wine colored gaze.

"Yes, just like that. It's yours if you want it, you won't have to suffer through this stage any longer," Yuugi promised him, sincere to a fault.

Atem wasn't sure he desired for his life to revert to exactly how it had been before. Even before he'd been chosen as the yearly sacrifice, how could he return to his regal complacency, never questioning, never engaged in his father's businesses, after knowing what he knew now? At least here, he'd been aware of himself and the world around him. He'd been aware of Yuugi, and the way that he'd cared for him and offered him assistance beyond delivering him food and drink and clean clothing. Yuugi treated him as an equal, and as his friend.

Even now, Yuugi had gone through the efforts of trying and failing at procuring some magical concoction that would make this imprint fade into nothing if it was what he desired. He gained nothing from helping him this way, and from the looks of his dear prince, it was especially laborious. 

"Is there something wrong, Atem?" Yuugi asked, breaking him out of the prison of his thoughts.

"What if I..." Atem hesitated in asking, "What if I don't want to take the potion?"

"Ah. I'd known from the start that you might be skeptical of attempting anything magical, but that choice is entirely yours to make. I only want to save you the distress that can come from trying to do it on your own. It's a very long affair, and I can only hope you wouldn't resent me after going through it. There's also the matter of the caravan I’m concerned with..."

"What caravan?"

"That’s what I wanted to tell you about this morning," Yuugi said, a soft smile curling his lips, "it was what the meeting was about. The royal court will be traveling through the most notable cities in our region in a few weeks, and I... very much wanted you to join me."

Oh, what a sweet sentiment. He understood that this became a time sensitive manner in regards to breaking the imprint, however...

"I would love to join you," Atem said and slid his palm over Yuugi's hand, "but... what if- what if I..."

Yuugi waited patiently, watching Atem stammer and stutter and try to reach his conclusion. 

"What would happen if I wanted to... finish the imprint?" 

Shock played across Yuugi's face, and Atem could only hold his gaze, wondering and wondering what he must've thought of him now. Certainly, Yuugi never asked for such a thing, held no fault in the affair.

Yuugi clasped his fingers around Atem's hand, and Atem felt his heart clench at the gesture. 

"If that's what you want, my prince, I would be honored to complete it with you. The choice is all yours."

"Yes," Atem said, his voice soft, "it is, I want to complete it with you. Please, tell me how we can finish it."

Yuugi smiled, and a hum resonated in his throat as he seemed to think on Atem's question for a moment.

"I can't think of a better way to seal it than with a kiss," Yuugi said, leaning in a bit closer to Atem. 

Atem's heart pounded against his ribcage, and never before had the thought of intimacy made him feel so fragile, nor quite as eager as it did now. His eyelids fluttered shut, the black crescent of his lashes meeting bronze cheeks. Atem's lips fell into a pout, waiting for Yuugi's gentle kisses he'd only dreamt of as he slowly leaned in further.

Yuugi, however, grasped Atem's hand in his own to plant his royal kiss upon his knuckles instead.

Oh, what a cruel suggestion the demon prince had left in his mind, only to leave his desires unsated. Atem fell victim to the humbling snare of attraction, and he couldn’t imagine that he would be escaping its hold anytime soon. Even more startling was his lack of interest in slipping out of its grips.


	5. Preparations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A shorter chapter this time.

The days that followed the discussion of his infatuation proceeded with relative ease in comparison with the agonies that accompanied Atem's attempts to avoid the demon prince. Instead, he now enjoyed the charm of Yuugi's company with every meal, in the mornings and the afternoons, and every spare moment they managed to share together. They spent their evenings in the gardens as they used to, but more often than before, and Yuugi would often venture out of the comforts of the courtyard to show him different extravagant and beautiful corners of the palace, showing him every inch of his home that he so adored. In seeing Yuugi's passion, Atem began to harbor love for them in the same fashions.

Atem uncovered new perspectives and phenomenon here in the meantime, as well. Never before had he experienced rain in his homeland as he had here. It was an occasional occurrence in this domain of the demons, and especially frequent in the current season. While raindrops pelted the castle walls and the soft sound reverberated inside, Yuugi insisted that the two of them play a game together, watching the storm stream down the window panes, and listen, to allow Atem to experience this new natural sensation. Atem, as usual, was powerless to resist Yuugi's sweet persuasion, so long as it meant more time together.

Mehen matches passed with ease, a gentle give and take to their teasing and taunts, each looking forward to the pride of securing another win as they'd both had their fair share of wins and losses now, with Yuugi claiming the majority of the victories. Still, it was a much less serious affair now that some of the tensions between them became the ebb and flow of understanding.

Atem enjoyed it, Yuugi's company. The expectations he'd placed on the demon kingdom from the moment he learned of his fate didn't manifest in its prince, and for that, Atem was eternally grateful. He respected him in a way that made him feel like an equal, but he still treated him delicately and made subtle efforts to ease the difficulty of transitioning to this foreign land that didn't go unnoticed. 

"It seems like you've fallen out of Lady Luck's good graces again, Atem," Yuugi said, glancing up at Atem with a smirk on his lips as he'd stolen another win from the human prince, "perhaps your successes from yesterday were simply a fluke?"

Atem tutted, glancing down at the board and finally realized there would be no redemption from his last bad toss of the throwing sticks. 

"My wins from yesterday were completely genuine- something I wonder if you can say in all honesty. I'm still unconvinced that this board doesn't favor you, your highness," Atem said, a tinge of amusement in the curve of his lips, wholly lightehearted in his accusations, "Are you entirely certain you haven't bewitched this set? It seems like a sin for anyone to possess such an amount of natural luck..."

"Oh, Atem, there's no need to be a sore loser," Yuugi said, a smile curling his lips, "besides, you'd know if I'd charmed it. If I had, there'd be no luck on this earth that would allow you to win."

"Then perhaps the day has taken its toll on me, and I ought to cut my losses here," Atem relented, crossing his arms over his chest, eyeing Yuugi's lioness that perched on the board, wondering just how far this luck of his could extend. Had his luck faired against other opponents in the same way before he arrived, and how did he match up against other demons with this otherworldly fortune? Perhaps he would find out one day, but for now, he only reclined back in his seat and put away the pieces neatly, allowing Yuugi to take the board and return it to its rightful place in the box it was stored in.

"That might be for the best," Yuugi said, a laugh lilting in his songlike voice, "but, would you like to get dessert with me before we retire, and head to our separate chambers?"

It was a pleasant suggestion, and Atem wouldn't dare refuse to end the night in a way that wasn't having Yuugi disgrace him in yet another mehen match. Dessert seemed like a fine idea, and another hour to spend with the demon prince was an even more warmly welcomed opportunity. There was still so much he didn't know about the caravan tour he would be joining Yuugi on, and he was unsure how much he could divulge from the prince before they would leave the safety of the palace Atem had grown familiar with.

Food in itself, however, was another pleasant addition to the proposal, as Atem had quickly become accustomed to the delicacies of this domain.

With the two of them having retrieved something sweet from the kitchens and retired to Yuugi's chambers to enjoy them, they settled in, and Atem nearly forgot about their future travels as he sank his fork into the sweet cake on his tray. Luckily, Yuugi seemed to pick up where Atem's thoughts had trailed off.

"How do you feel about the upcoming travels?" Yuugi asked, his dessert untouched as he looked to Atem for a response.

How he felt about touring the kingdom and all of its different sects was something Atem had made his best efforts not to dwell on, having reached the conclusion he would have only suspected the worst if he were to do so. He recognized his prejudices and the slanted legends he relied on in the past were the vast majority of his information on this domain, so it likely did him more harm than good to make assumptions. As he recalled, overthinking was the illness that caused him to wretch on his travels to the palace, only to be met with the realization that his fears were unfounded.

But Atem trusted that Yuugi would see him through it all safely.

"I haven't put much thought into the affair. I know very little about the rest of your kingdom, so I'm not sure what I could think of," Atem confessed, "but I trust that if the event is something you wanted me to accompany you in, I will have little trouble with it."

A soft smile curled upon Yuugi's lips.

"I have always adored the travels I've been able to enjoy to different regions here, and I have no doubts that I will appreciate such an extensive tour, but I hope I'm not forcing you to join me- I know it might be more extensive than you're prepared for. You always have the option of staying in the palace if you aren't ready. I'd be sure that you were well provided for, even without me at your side."

"No, no," Atem insisted, swallowing down his last bite behind his hand before proceeding, "You haven't pressured me at all. I would much rather prefer to join you, especially if the trip is to be as long as you're suggesting. I'm not certain I could bare to be without your company for so long."

Perhaps such a confession was too sentimental, but the imprint still held him tight in its grasp, and he couldn't help the pulls that still affected him even now. He sincerely couldn't imagine a month without Yuugi, the castle halls were just too vastly empty without the prince's presence to fill it with warmth.

"I'm glad you want to come with me," Yuugi said, his smile brightening with Atem's response, "I'm looking forward to showing you all the beautiful pieces of my kingdom, and the treasures within them. I promise you won't regret it."

What an offer...

"I can hardly imagine regretting spending time with you," Atem said, his cheeks heating with the weight of his statement, "I'm sure I'll be fine with some guidance."

"Then it's settled," Yuugi said, his smile returning to grace his features, "tomorrow we'll begin our packing, and prepare for our journey."

Atem had been sated with their talk of the kingdom tour, although he was sure he would consider more questions to ask Yuugi tomorrow as they began to pack. For now, the two of them partook in the desserts they'd carried to Yuugi's room, and occasionally share them, offering each other a taste of their dish, delighting in their shared company.

As they did, however, the night stretched on, growing later and later, and Atem's eyelids grew heavier with each passing moment. He rolled his shoulders back, reaching his arms upward with a yawn falling from his lips. They would have to conclude their night soon enough, and Atem was ready to retire to his chambers.

"It's late," Atem said, stifling a second yawn, standing up to leave, "I should head back now."

"Wait," Yuugi called much to his surprise.

The demon prince wrapped his slender fingers around Atem's thin wrist, pleasantly shocking him. Yuugi's touch had always been so delicate and light, and ultimately too tempting not to pay attention to, to desire more of. 

"I'd been thinking... We'll be sharing a wagon in the caravan. Perhaps we should get used to spending our nights together," Yuugi said, a smile on his lips and a glimmer in his eyes that made Atem's knees weak, "Would you like to stay with me tonight?"

"Of course," Atem shuddered, and joined Yuugi in bed once more, their fingers now interlaced.

"Oh, I'm glad. I was hoping you would say yes," the prince purred, leaning in a bit closer to Atem. 

The new proximity was enough to send Atem's heart racing, the throbbing against his rib cage nearly audible, color blossoming in his cheeks and burning in the tips of his ears. Yuugi's company had become something cripplingly addictive with the imprint still so fresh and new. Touch was sinfully sweet, and anytime the dear prince indulged him in the slightest, he craved more, more, more, to have Yuugi be entirely his own. Oh, how he needed him in his life so desperately.

Yuugi's free hand reached forward, tucking a blonde curl behind Atem's ear, his gaze warm upon his face.

"Why don't I grab you some fresh clothes to wear to bed, and then the two of us can get some rest?" Yuugi offered. Oh, Atem didn't want him to move, he wanted to stay at his side just like this, for his touch to never leave, but unfortunately, his better judgment swam back into his mind to replace his romantic inclinations.

"Yes, of course," Atem agreed, watching as Yuugi left his side to rummage through the wardrobe, looking for somethings for the two of them to wear between the sheets. He could hardly care less about fabrics or fresh clothing when the prospect of sleeping so close to the man he desired so badly flooded the space between his ears. 

Yuugi returneed, however, with nightwear that Atem could put on, soft and light against his palms.

"You can change here, I promise not to look," Yuugi said kindly while he began to unbutton his own shirt, preparing for bed. While Yuugi could perhaps keep such a promise, Atem didn't have the strength within himself to totally avert his eyes as Yuugi revealed his tanned skin and the constellation of freckles that trailed down his back, and the long tail that protruded from the end of his spine. Smooth, leatherlike, and colored in an exotic, mottled purple like the flox that blossomed in the gardens. Prettier than any statue, and beautiful beyond his imagination.

Atem had to force himself to break his gaze and refocus on dressing himself instead of oggling Yuugi. Still, if the prince had invited him to remain so close tonight, he must've shared some of Atem's attraction and cared for him in a similar fashion, even if it wasn't with the same intensity.

"Atem? did you need help with the button in the back?" Yuugi said, shattering the silence, and Atem realized he'd dressed himself fully while he'd been drowning in the attractive qualities of the other.

"Oh, yes, thank you," Atem said as Yuugi's delicate touch traced over the back of his neck, sending a shiver down his spine as he secured the neckline of his pajamas. 

He was looking forward to the privacy they'd share through the duration of the trip.

Yuugi turned back the covers of his bed and slipped under the sheets, inviting Atem to do the same, to which he gladly obliged. Wrapped in the embrace of smooth linens and Yuugi's presence, Atem was certain he'd never been so comfortable in his short life in this position. However, Yuugi drew in closer, facing him with a soft smile and his fingertips trailed along his shoulder down to his wrist and back up again.

And as it trailed up further, further, further, he cupped the back of Atem's neck and pressed his petal soft lips against his forehead.

"Goodnight, Atem," Yuugi purred before extinguishing the light of the lanterns, and relaxing into the mattress beneath them.

But how was Atem to sleep now, with the thought of the kiss still lingering in his mind, making the prospect of sleep something bothersome in comparison to fantasizing of more from his dear prince? Oh, if only he had the courage to ask for more, or to initiate another kiss himself. 

But as he considered this deep desire for intimacy from Yuugi, the prince wrapped his arms around his waist, pulling him into his tender embrace. It caught him off guard, but he settled into the position with ease, pressing the side of his cheek into Yuugi's shoulder in perfect contentment. He placed his hands on Yuugi's waist and allowed himself to take pleasure in this new and wonderful affection. Lost in a wash of sweet delight and drowsiness, he let sleep overcome him, listening to the gentle tap of rain against the balcony, tucked securely into Yuugi's arms.

It seemed the demon prince not only settled within his thoughts during his waking hours, but dominated his dreams just the same. Atem could hardly complain about his company following him from the physical world into the less concrete playground of his mind. He felt so safe with Yuugi by him, he could hardly help it. The prince had become his lifeline in this strange and foreign land, and he would hold onto this treasured breath of fresh air for as long as he could.

The same things that petrified him had begun to thrill him, and he was desperate to discover more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you appreciated this brief and fluffy commercial break from the angst and plot heavy chapters, but if not, don't worry- that'll come back very soon.


	6. Departure

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapters should be getting longer again after this!
> 
> Might do more editing on this once I'm back home.

In the days before the caravan departed for the countrywide tour, the palace was awash with movement, people sweeping through and making arrangements through the stables, assessing food stores, and calculating the efficiency of their route. During all of the tour-induced commotion, Atem, alongside Yuugi, was left to pack. Clothing seemed essential, but Yuugi encouraged him to pack lightly, insisting he only needed a few of his elaborate and distinguished outfits, as they would indubitably return with more than they left with in their wagon. Atem wasn't about to protest, seeing as Yuugi had more experiences with these tours.

He packed lightly just as Yuugi advised him to, and Yuugi frequently assisted him with choosing what articles of clothing he'd pack. He warned Atem of hot weather early on in their travels, and any cooler weather that would come later they could compensate for during some of their stops. It was a rather jarring experience, perhaps not so much as his initial assumptions on the horrors of what he'd experience in the domain of demons, but certainly new. He'd only just become accustomed to the capitol city thanks to Yuugi's deep involvement in his life. He was still very thankful for his good fortune in receiving his help. 

As he worked to place a spare cape in his trunk that Yuugi had gifted him in his time here, he risked a glance at the demon prince.

"Where exactly are we traveling, Yuugi?" he asked, unsure of this entire affair now that it was finally dawning on him, "I understand we're touring your kingdom. However, I know very little about it. Could you possibly elaborate further?" Atem persisted, hoping to uncover at least a bit more about what he should anticipate before they departed. Even if he didn't like what he heard, he had still committed to traveling with Yuugi, and wouldn't withdraw such a promise.

"Oh, that's right," Yuugi said, packing vials, empty and full alike, wrapped in the fabric of his clothing, "it's so easy to forget how little I've told you about my home, but not to worry, I'll explain."

Yuugi walked to the corner of his room and began to rifle through his drawers and the top of his desk before he finally returned to Atem. With a sheet of parchment in his hand, Yuugi rolled it out to reveal the topography of the land etched out into a map. It was the unknowns of the demon kingdom that his peoples in Khemet were unable to tell him of.

"Our trip works along the eastern coast in a spiral. We begin here, curve along the north east, go west when we reach the northern most point, and then travel straight to return to the palace." Yuugi's finger trailed along the pathway he described, while Atem tried to absorb what he could make out about the environment, "I can tell you of the places we'll visit on the way. However, I figure it'd be better for you to see it yourself."

Atem understood Yuugi's point in the abruptness of his explanation. He'd seen maps- although vaguer than the one his companion was now putting away- before under the lessons of tutors while he still remained in Khemet under the watchful eye of his father and his viziers. He'd seen the details of the coast, the bays, the plains, but that was little more than words on a page. The reality of the situation was unfathomable from peering at lines and dots smattered across a sheet or carved into tablets. He supposed the demon prince was smart enough to know this.

And so they packed, a quiet intimacy in the silent brush of their arms, glances and bashful smiles easily exchanged. Atem could only contemplate this strange circumstance, the time he would spend together alongside his equal that he'd shocked even himself in coming to adore. The new and unfathomable scenery and cultures he'd never given a second thought to in his youth now took a backseat to the time spent inside a wagon alongside his dear partner. Instead of dreading the dangers or the bizarre encounters he was bound to face, the thought of his fingers entwined with that of the demon prince flooded his mind.

While it may have been a trip focused deeply on the diplomacy between the different facets of a nation, to Atem, he could only imagine an adventure in the budding relationship between he and Yuugi. Perhaps the experience would prove to be more delightful than he anticipated if Yuugi looked forward to it as much as he did. As long as his partner had prepared for what may come, any inkling of fear or apprehension that lingered in the corner of his mind shriveled, and reduced to nothingness. 

As sweet and tender as this moment was in which they packed together, it didn't delay the caravan. Yuugi and Atem concluded their preparations, Yuugi having assured his partner that they had everything they needed, and allowed some of the palace servants to escort their luggage out to join the caravan, and leading them to their designated wagon.

It was certainly more spacious than the one he arrived at the palace in. This seemed much more fitting of a luxury trip, not the one to carry the sacrificial lamb inside of. He climbed in, sitting on the cushion that rested inside, although Yuugi didn't follow him immediately. He was curious as to what kept him from joining him.

But it was only a moment more that Yuugi returned, twirling a flower in his fingers with a smile on his lips. Atem recognized the burst of white petals from the courtyard as a gardenia blossom.

"What is this?" Atem asked as Yuugi climbed into the wagon, seating himself close, hip to hip.

"Just a small keepsake, to celebrate the tour," the prince purred out, tucking Atem's golden lock of hair behind his ear, and crowning him with the flower he'd freshly plucked, securing it into Atem's thick hair.

"Oh, is that so?" Atem asked, a heat creeping into his cheeks as Yuugi's hand trailed down Atem's cheek and along his arm, and finally interlacing their fingers together. These affectionate gestures always managed to make his heart ache, a hunger for more burning inside of him.

"Mmhm, I figured it might be nice, to have something from our home," He said, lighthearted and sweet, "I think it suits you."

The statement was casual and simplistic, one that rolled off of Yuugi's tongue with ease, but it managed to pluck at Atem's heart and flood his chest with emotions. The palace of the capitol city, the head of the demon kingdom as he knew it, became his home as he began to care for Yuugi. It was no prison or a curse; no longer was he a pawn to uphold his father's misguided ideals, but a prince who'd made a home in his new surroundings, and met people who genuinely cared for him beyond his titles or his bloodline. Yuugi had become his home.

Atem was caught in the middle of leaning in closer to Yuugi, interested in pressing into him like they did before bed, seeking the demon prince's arms around him when the wagon began to move and jolted him back into an upright position. He frowned as Yuugi moved to dig through his trunk a moment after, searching for something.

"I didn't expect that we'd leave so soon," Yuugi murmured, searching for something he'd sealed away inside their luggage, "but I'll have to set up the incense before we get too far out of the city."

"Incense?" Atem asked, unsure of why this was such an urgent precaution for him to take, "Why do you need that?"

Stewing in his mind, Atem wondered why exactly Yuugi so urgently needed to get that out when he could have held him against his chest and comb his fingers through his hair instead, but Atem digressed. Instead of protesting any further, he watched as Yuugi managed to locate what he searched for, pulling out two long sticks and a holder for the ends, setting it at the opening of the wagon.

"To repel any unwanted stowaways," Yuugi explained, "I let it burn out once on one of the trips when I was younger, and woke up to find that scarabs had gotten into my food stores."

"Oh," Atem mused, his eyes falling away from Yuugi, the image of it playing through his mind. Perhaps it was for the best that he trusted the local prince to take care of him as well as ensure the safety of their ride. He found that a swarm of beetles would certainly serve to make their ride considerably less romantic, but it wouldn't keep him from pouting due to Yuugi's absence at his side until he returned.

He watched as a dark flame emanated from the prince's fingertips and lit the end of the incense, smoke beginning to curl from its end, a pleasant smell following as Yuugi shook out the heat from his hand. It was in no way the first time that Atem witnessed Yuugi harnessing magic, considering he'd been more open to revealing his abilities since his imprint had come into play, but Atem had yet to adjust to seeing it so casually.

Even so, he couldn't help but find the burning incense and intoxicating scent that filled the wagon to be romantic. With his prince returning to his side, his agitation eased, and Atem leaned into Yuugi's shoulder where he rightly belonged.

***

Time passed slowly, and the caravan only stopped on rare occasions for the sake of the steeds pulling, in which the two princes would exit to stretch their limbs and take in the fresh air, and for Yuugi to change the incense if need be. Their last moment of break from the caravan came hours ago, and the two princes were retired to their wagon after their last break they'd taken window shopping in an open market they'd passed.

Atem stuck close to Yuugi, playing games that he'd packed away, while the prince tried to explain the new rules to him, and a smile lit up his cheeks every time Atem made a correct move against him, inching closer to the finish line. Atem could only flush at such a reaction, heat burning in the tips of his ears. Experience and understanding decided Yuugi as the victor, but not without valiant strides gained by Atem in his first attempts. 

"That was a spectacular performance, my prince," Yuugi hummed, absolutely beaming at Atem as he eyed the board, "you're a near natural."

"And yet again, you've won our match," Atem noted, a bashful smile on his lips as Yuugi looked at him so sweetly, his praise making his head feel light. 

"Naturally, it's only your first time playing," Yuugi said with a smile, "maybe if we played another round, you'd even manage to win."

"Surely it was nothing more than beginner's luck," Atem snorted, ultimately unconvinced that Yuugi's sweet words were anything more than that, "unless you were going easy on me. You wouldn't do something so dishonest to preserve my feelings, now, would you?"

A smirk crossed Atem's lips, and Yuugi gasped in mock offense at the accusation, laying a hand against his chest.

"Me? Lie to you, Atem? How could you accuse me of something so dishonest?" Entertaining as it was, Yuugi's hand fell from his chest, and the scandalized facade he cast fell, "no, I didn't need to. In fact, it nearly looked like you were capable of strategizing. Who would imagine, my darling prince could be so clever?"

A smile curled into Atem's features, and suddenly he didn't feel quite so bashful anymore. The waiting for Yuugi to make his move, to roll his dye or advance his pawn. It seemed for the first time since the imprint had ensnared him in its grips of adoration, the ball rolled ever so slowly into his court, free for him to play.

" _Your_ prince?" Atem asked, the possessive seeming like a formal invitation to join Yuugi in this back and forth.

"Mmhm," Yuugi hummed, weighing his next words on his tongue but his coy smile never left his princely pout, "unless you don't want to be mine."

The way Yuugi's eyes fell over him, examined his features as if he could feel the heat radiating from his tanned skin, and Atem couldn't help but appreciate the attention he'd sought after for so long. The statement, the question that hung in the air, however, made his stomach twist. What a thing to say, to ask, and a sinking feeling settled inside of Atem that this was so clearly a trap. He struggled in his attempts to deduce whether or not he wanted to fall into its tempting embrace, and allow Yuugi to claim his victory in their game of words.

"Forward tonight, aren't you?" Atem responded, playing coy.

"Ooh, you weren't nearly so shy just the other night," Yuugi purred, hardly deterred from his flirting, running his fingertips in round motions along the sheets of their mattress. 

Atem thought he'd adjusted to the imprint, that the intoxicating chemistry between the two of them had become manageable as of late. Now, however, Atem felt every bit as lost inside of Yuugi's charms and sweetest provocations as he had on the evening that royal duties had dragged Yuugi away from him.

"Whatever could you mean by that, Yuugi?" Atem asked, although he was certain he was referring to the evening they'd shared Yuugi's bed, where he had remained tucked against Yuugi's chest the entirety of the night. That hadn't been terribly unchaste, though, had it?

"The way you were watching me undress?" Yuugi chuckled, a smile still on his lips, slicing into his cheeks as he met him with this grand reveal, "I could practically feel your stare boring into me... I had no idea you could be so bold."

Atem's spice-colored complexion paled as he realized Yuugi had known of his wandering gaze, and Atem felt nearly sick as he came to the conclusion he was nowhere near as discrete that he convinced himself he was. Atem wished he could've known what the demon prince thought about his voyeuristic staring, but was much too afraid of what his answer could've been if he dared to ask.

Before Atem could even part his lips in an attempt to justify himself, some heavy force he could hardly think to name forced the thought from his head as it drowned him in its presence. His mouth went dry, and his head seemed to fill with a cotton haze.

"What is... what is this?" Atem asked, suffocating in the curtain of enchantment that draped over him here in the wagon, becoming impossible to ignore.

Yuugi, at the least, seemed relatively unaffected and knew more about the phenomenon that overtook him. 

He laid a hand on Atem's shoulder before standing to look out of the opening of their covered wagon, eyeing the golden twilight before reaching a decisive conclusion.

"Ah," came Yuugi's soft response, before he slipped back in beside Atem, his hand massaging gentle circles into his back, "we just reached the outskirts of Djinn country."

"Djinn country...?" Atem said, finding things difficult to process at the current moment, although he was certain he'd heard such a name at least once before.

"We should reach our first official stop by daylight. Magic is much more casual here, and the footprint it leaves is considerably strong as well," Yuugi explained, "it's no surprise it's affecting you so much- I haven't exposed you to much of it, so it'll take a bit of getting used to, I imagine."

Atem could only nod, bobbing his head in agreement as there was little else he could do about the sudden change in atmosphere aside from waiting for it to pass. He was much too deep into the journey to go back now.

"I promise that this will pass soon, a few hours more and you'll have already grown used to it," Yuugi assured Atem, sitting at his side and running his fingers through the human prince's thick hair. 

His touch felt pleasant against his scalp, especially in his new magic-induced haze. He leaned into Yuugi's arms, resting his head against his shoulder as the power's influence over him only became stronger.

In turn, the demon prince wrapped his arms tight around him.

"Get some rest, Atem. There'll be much for us to do in the morning."

With Yuugi's embrace wrapped around him, the effect of the local magic putting his thoughts to rest, and his desire for contact sated, Atem did exactly that, losing himself to the irresistable call of sleep.


	7. Djinn Country

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little late on this one. Future chapters may be delayed as my schedule becomes busier.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Amir = Y!Marik

Yuugi awoke to Atem's head resting heavy over his sternum, having yet to budge from his position swaddled in the warmth of his embrace. A tender morning smile upturned the edges of Yuugi's lips as he ran his fingers through Atem's thick curls, curious as to when his darling companion would wake up and greet the morning, or if the abundance of magic that flooded the air was enough to ensnare him in dreams for another hour or so. Whether or not Atem was ready to face the day, dawn had broken over the horizon, and from a glance out of the corner of his eyes, the scenery had shifted. If they hadn't arrived at their destination yet, it would only be a matter of hours, if that.

None of that mattered in this tender moment, not to Yuugi, anyhow. He couldn't be bothered to think about diplomacy in this instant when the warmth of Atem's arms had wrapped around him so snugly, lost to dreaming and uninterested in moving from the spot he claimed, draped over Yuugi's body without his typical concerns of personal space or intimacy. Yuugi placed a delicate kiss on Atem's brow while he slept, more than pleased to indulge Atem in another hour to rest, laying against him so intimately.

But in no more than a few minutes, Atem's eyelids fluttered open briefly before he withdrew one of his hands from their embrace to rub at his face as he woke up. Yuugi caught a glimpse of cerise eyes, and a smile tugged at the edges of his lips. He could imagine no sunset more beautiful than the light that twinkled in Atem's eyes, still glazed over from his long night of rest in this foreign land, under the influences of equally foreign magics. 

"Good morning," Yuugi purred, running his hand along Atem's spine, up and down in a gentle caress, placing another kiss against his prince's temple.

Another minute passed, and a yawn bubbled up from his diaphragm and slipped past Atem's lips before he responded.

"Good morning," Atem murmured into the side of Yuugi's neck, his breath tickling against his skin, with no further attempt to get off of him. Yuugi made no protests on Atem's lack of effort. 

"Do you feel any better this morning, or is the magic still bothering you?" Yuugi asked, reminding Atem of the dizzy spell he'd fallen into the night before, and the magic that still surrounded them even now.

"Yes, yes..." another yawn tickled Yuugi's throat before Atem went on, "I'm feeling better today."

"Oh, good," Yuugi whispered, stroking his fingers through Atem's hair as he continued to lay on him, "because here, they have the finest open market all across our kingdom. I really wanted to take you there today..."

"Really?" Atem gave a hum of interest, shifting slightly from his position on top of Yuugi, "what kind of things do they sell?" 

"Anything you could imagine..." Yuugi crooned, still petting Atem's head of thick curls, twirling one of his dark locks around his finger, "we'll be there soon. We should put on some clothes, eat something before we do, so we'll be ready in time."

With some effort and more of Yuugi's sweetest coercion, Atem rolled off of him to prepare for the day. The two of them slipped into their formal attires, Yuugi helping to latch Atem's necklaces and adjust his sashes, and accepted the same help without hesitation, and finally, he donned his bag in which he carried his spending money. He smiled at his companion as their fingers brushed, Eating bits of their food stores while they watched the skyline burn in yellows and red and the intense eastern sun turned the stone pavement into gold until they finally arrived at the Djinn court.

Tall, arching structures, fluttering curtains, and domes that threatened to poke through morning clouds highlighted the scenery, the vibrant colors of stained glass burning into his eyes. Yuugi took only a moment to drink in the crowning jewel of the Djinn peoples before his attention shifted back to Atem, lacing his fingers between that of his companion and flashing him another charming smile. Certainly, the two of them could stand to slip away from the crowd of their caravan in favor of sightseeing and perhaps lessen the weight of his coin purse by spending some of the glistening gold that weighed it down.

"What do you think of it, Atem?" Yuugi ran his thumb in circles over his partner's palm, hoping that he could share in the delights of travel and the uniqueness of the different cultures that his kingdom could offer him.

Atem didn't respond immediately, his eyes wide and his lips parted just slightly as he looked out of their wagon as if he was still ensnared in the charms of magic the city seemed to breathe. He did manage to look away and meet Yuugi's gaze, his eyes glazed over with a wonder stronger than any enchantment Yuugi had ever known. 

"It's beautiful," Atem exhaled, his fingers tightening around Yuugi's own, much to the demon prince's great pleasure, "something about it... reminds me of my home in Khemet."

Atem was breathtaking in this light, more so than usual. The fascination that danced in his expression intoxicated the demon prince, and for just a moment, Yuugi understood what an imprint must have felt like.

Yuugi stepped out onto the ground and made the slight hop from the wagon onto stone path. Once he was steady on his feet, he turned to face Atem once again, offering him a hand and helping him down. As they did, Yuugi turned to see officials meeting with his grandfather, and servants rushing to move luggage and arrange the caravan. 

Certainly, these were all things a prince had no need to oversee.

"Why don't the two of us step out of the way while they move the caravan? We wouldn't want to be a bother, and besides," Yuugi purred, "I can show you even more of the beautiful things that are here. It'll be like a personal tour."

Yuugi followed the statement by linking their arms together and pressing into his companion. While his bronzed complexion did wonders in hiding the flush to his face, Yuugi could nearly feel the heat radiating from his skin, and the morning rays of sun did wonders to reveal every perfect nuance in Atem's features.

"Yes, I'd like that," Atem agreed, a genuine smile curled on his perfect pout.

Yuugi weaved him through the movement of the crowd, waving off any court members from the capitol that tried to catch his attention, insisting he would return for the formal greetings and banquet, but that he was off to escort Atem to the open market in search of essential purchases in fewer words. It worked for the most part, and any advisors ignored Yuugi's lavish interests for the hour, allowing he and Atem to slip through the front gardens and into the city. They passed gardens and shrubbery in colors that ranged from flushes of reds, the deep violets of berries and olive green that decorated the edges of streets, as well as the open shafts of water that flowed throughout the city. 

Atem was entirely enchanted with the scenery, and Yuugi regretted allowing his dearest companion to stay inside the castle for so long if this was his reaction to a glimpse of the world outside and their flourishing societies. It was a sight Yuugi would do nearly anything to replicate in his fondest friend. As much as he wanted to rush to the market to show Atem the bounty of rare and exquisite finds, he couldn't find it in himself to move through their leisurely pace any faster when it blessed him with the joy of seeing the other so captivated. The market wasn't going anywhere anytime soon, and they'd be spending days here before moving north in their travels.

Atem's arm shifted from the way it had interlocked with Yuugi's, and he instead placed his palm against his and laced their fingers together. The two of them pressed closer, tighter, and after a few more long and intimate moments of their silent stroll, evidence of the market appeared around the corner of a street.

It was small at first, the signs. A local woman sat in an alleyway, weaving, weaving, weaving the telltale Djinn silks, eyes unattentive but wares set out on display in her quiet piece of the market. As Yuugi continued to walk through, there were more people selling in the long and narrow alley, slowly growing, occasionally attempting to call Yuugi's attention to their products. Potions and pottery, glasswork and jewelry, and this eyeful was merely a sliver of the sights that were yet to come.

Upon stepping out of the cramped lane that formed between two tall structures, Atem was finally free to behold the true wonders of the bazaar. There was a sparkle to the scenery and the buzz of people absent in the funeral toned seriousness in the royal court, the casual conversation that drenched the air, and the freedom in the cluttered lanes between stands. 

Yuugi tightened his grip on Atem's hand, a smile on his lips as he watched Atem's eyes study the scenery, "so what do you think?"

"Where do we start?" Atem asked, a grin on his lips at that Yuugi found positively infectious. 

He pulled Atem along, the two of them beginning their search and getting lost together in the crowds of shoppers and sales tents. Atem admired the things he didn't understand, asking Yuugi questions along the way that the demon prince didn't hesitate to answer. They laughed and talked together, and Yuugi was overjoyed to hold up jewels and fabrics up to the beautiful brown of Atem's complexion in consideration.

Although he allowed Atem to pick out a few smaller items for himself along the way, as well as street food that he resembled dishes from his home, Yuugi held a much more discerning eye when it applied to shopping for bigger ticket items. He insisted on delving deeper into the market before they began to properly dig into the gold he'd brought with him on this trip, and return the next day for less urgent purchases.

"The further you go into the market, the better treasures you'll find," Yuugi explained, Atem's hand still in his own as they walked, "there are a few things I'd really like to get for you here that we won't be able to find elsewhere, and the best way to find them is to find a more reputable tent."

Atem nodded along to this before something stole his attention momentarily. Yuugi followed his eyes to a tent draped in fine fabrics, golds, and handsome apparels. 

"Does that tent seem reputable enough for us, _your highness_?" Atem said, gently digging his elbow into Yuugi's side, to which he laughed.

"Oh, now that is exactly what we're looking for, my dear prince," Yuugi grinned back, "I hope you don't mind carrying a few things."

"Oh, you can't carry them for me?" Atem said with a bat of his lashes, a smirk on his mouth. 

"I'm afraid my arm's too tired from carrying this," Yuugi said, brandishing an unusually large purse of gold, returning Atem's look.

"Fair enough, let's see what they have," he agreed, his expression softening as they moved to look through the tent. 

Yuugi eyed the jewelry with care, looking through the abundance of gold to find something that would measure up to the prince's beauty and would be elegant enough to make home wrapped around Atem's slender throat, perched on his flawless skin. 

The djinn woman who stood inside the tent of goods took an interest in Yuugi's discerning eye as he moved to see the more expensive wares, looking through glittering golds and gleaming gems only mined in this area. 

"I can tell you're a distinguished customer- from the penumbral palace?" She said, eyes lingering on Yuugi's attire before wandering to his purse, "perhaps I can assist you in choosing something?"

Yuugi considered it, shifting his gaze back to Atem before turning to the merchant, "yes, this gold necklace, here on the left."

"Of course, I would expect such refined taste from the capitol," She said, carefully handling the piece and allowing it to glint in the light. The stone settings were a cardinal red, the engravings in the gold of remarkable craftmanship, but delicate in its opulence. 

"How much?" Yuugi asked, glancing to meet the merchant's gaze.

"Fifteen gold pieces, but I could throw in the matching earrings for your lovely bride- just twenty gold," she tempted.

Yuugi allowed his hand to slip from Atem's grasp, and instead  
wrapped it around his companion's waist, "well, for my bride, how could I resist such an offer?"

A laugh rolled off of Atem's lips, but Yuugi pulled out the aforementioned gold pieces in exchange for the necklace. He watched the woman wrap with careful hands, tucking it in sheets of folded paper before sliding it into a bag that he might carry.

They continued on like this, looking and admiring until Yuugi found something particularly fascinating. Djinn fabrics were known for their incredibly smooth, soft textures against the skin while being incredibly light, but this sheet he found shimmered with the same sheen as precious metals but was light as a feather and softer than silk. 

"Atem," Yuugi called, holding up his new find to glimmer in the sunlight, "What do you think of this?"

"It's gorgeous," He said, his eyes narrowing in inspection, "what is that?"

Yuugi wrapped the fabric around Atem's bare arms, gently pulling him in closer with it, nearly chest to chest as he looked into Atem's dark eyes. 

"Djinn fabrics," Yuugi purred, "Have you ever felt anything better against your skin?"

Mere inches separated them now, to the point that Yuugi could feel the gentle ghost of Atem's breath against his skin, and see the barely there smile on his lips.

"Not yet," Atem hummed, "but I can think of something that might feel better on my skin."

A laugh parted Yuugi's lips, not out of any humor in the situation, but the delight in the air from Atem's insinuation. His hand met Atem's cheek, rolling over smooth skin and beautiful features. His eyes clamped shut, his lashes a dark crescent along freckled cheeks, and began to lean in, finally, finally having Atem before him and willing to receive his gentlest affections.

Yuugi could barely feel Atem's breath against his lips before a harsh voice rang inside his ear, and a hand grasped his shoulder, jolting him apart from his long sought after kiss. He bristled at the touch, but turned to witness a hulking figure that towered more than a full head taller than him, and unfortunately all too familiar.

"Ooh, little prince Yuugi's got a hot date, huh?" It was none other than the worse of the Djinn princes coming to hassle him, standing tall as he hovered over him, lips curling back in a crooked grin to reveal a set of long canines and pointed teeth.

"Well, sorry to interrupt, _your majesty_ , but there's some urgent matters I need to discuss with you while you're here."

Yuugi was unimpressed. No matter how diplomatic he manipulated his words to be, he doubted they were indicative of anything that didn't directly tie into his own skewed personal agenda.

"And what would that be, Amir?" Yuugi asked, not nearly bold enough to attempt to pick a fight with him on a purely physical level, and especially not out in broad daylight where a thousand eyes were surely on him. Still, he was not so much of a pushover to kiss his ass and accept, either. 

He was especially not in a position to oblige after Amir stole away the tender moment he had dreamed of for so long. He pined, he desired, he wished for that sweet press of lips against each other for so long, and once he had had it right within his grips in ephemeral victory, it was stolen away from him just as quickly.

"Oh, well I think it would be best to talk about it inside the palace," Amir said, a sinister grin slicing into his expression. It was at that moment Yuugi came to terms with the fact he wouldn't be escaping his attention until he'd gotten exactly what he wanted, "and I'm sure your little human pet is getting hot out here under our sun. Not sure he can handle this kind of heat."

Yuugi's jaw set into a hard frown, teeth clenched as his grip tightened on Atem's hand while the Djinn prince made hideous mention of him. The mere mention of his sweetheart didn't belong on his lips.

"Fine," he agreed, but just barely containing himself from doing something he'd regret. 

Yuugi had never been less interested in attending the extravagant banquets of the Ishtar manor, and in the same intensity, he'd never desired more to see Amir choke on his meal. He walked behind Amir, watching the blonde spikes of hair twine around ebony horns, and couldn't help the thought of that entered his mind of resorting to other means of fighting that weren't limited to fisticuffs.

But even Yuugi, who'd been strung along in Amir's unfortunate interests in getting under someone's skin, knew that there would be no better way to mortify his dear companion. With a glance at Atem, he let his jaw go slack, and allowed any further thought of petty vengeance evaporate from his mind. He laced their fingers together again and was relieved of his aggravation with a glimpse of Atem's sweet smile before him.

***

With Yuugi set at ease, Atem returned to viewing the inside of the Djinn architecture with wonder, his eyes glancing up to the immaculate details of the high ceilings throughout the banquet. Occasionally in between bites of different dishes, he would stop to tell Yuugi that they had meals similar in his homeland of Khemet, while the demon prince clung onto every word, tucking every favorite dish and spice into his memory for later access. Atem was never more radiant than when he spoke of his love for Khemet, and Yuugi sometimes had to force himself to refocus himself on what Atem was saying rather than just admiring him.

It was in the middle of a bout of laughter as Atem was explaining the extents to how much he disliked broiled fish that Amir returned over Yuugi's shoulder, a hand planted on him, interested in continuing their earlier line of conversation, or lack thereof. 

"Mind following me somewhere more private to go on with our little discussion?" Amir asked, that same crooked smile still stuck on his lips so perfectly Yuugi had to consider if his expression was forever cemented just so. Perhaps not in seriousness, but it was effort provoking mental work to conjure up a memory of him without it.

Yuugi raised a brow, his full lips thinning into a flat line, "I suppose we could, if you don't plan to take me anywhere too private."

Yuugi raised Atem's hands to his lips and pressed a kiss against his knuckles with the assurance that he would return soon, and that he was free to keep talking with the more civil of the Djinn princes. He then rose from his seat at the table, and followed Amir to the edge of the hall, still in sight but out of earshot.

"So? What's this about important business?" Yuugi asked, arms folded across his chest. 

"Oh, it's a crucial diplomatic affair," Amir insisted, pulling a pair of letters out of his robes, "I'll need you to deliver them to the Fae. I would have it done myself. However, my messenger hawk isn't particularly inclined to do what I ask lately."

"And you can't ask Marik to send them for you? His bird is rather efficient." Yuugi raised an eyebrow, his eyes glancing over the envelopes still in Amir's grasp. "They're all made out to Ryou."

"Well it's very important matters pertaining to Ryou," he said, his act of being above him suddenly crumbling, his cheeks growing dark with heat. It seemed Amir's penance had finally caught up with him on this remarkable day. 

"And you know how Marik is about sharing, he's always so fussy-"

"I find that I'm not particularly interested in these vital affairs," Yuugi said, studying his nails instead of bothering to meet Amir's gaze. "No. I'm not your courier. Find someone else to deliver your love letters."

This was entirely untrue. Amir pursuing romantic relations with the prince of the Fae was undeniably a piece of information Yuugi would love to hear more of, but not as much as he enjoyed toying with him after his interruption. He'd been seeking that kiss for weeks now, only for Amir to tear that away from him. Rightfully, he was pissed.

"Hey, you're going to deliver this-" Amir began to threaten, his temper boiling over. Yuugi decided to put an end to that before Amir snapped and strangled him.

Yuugi could sense the danger that was eating at Amir in the clench of his fist and the squint of his eyes, but he couldn't help the wave of satisfaction that overcame him in seeing him struggle. He deserved it after dragging his chaos between he and Atem.

"Ooh, careful, I don't think you want to throw a tantrum in front of the entire hall," Yuugi said, a smirk curling his lips, "and not to worry. I'm not that cruel. I won't hinder whatever's going on between the two of you, but I think you'll have to sweeten the deal if you do want those letters to reach Ryou. Have any offers?"

The other seemed to calm at this last line, his crooked grin returning to his face. 

"Is that what you're after? Why didn't you say so in the first place?" 

Amir rifled through the pocket of his loose pants before pulling out his bargaining token, a metal tin, twisting off the top to show Yuugi. A silver substance glittered in the tin, catching the light in an iridescent display of color.

"Is that-"

"The moonbow strain? It absolutely is," Amir grinned, placing the lid back on as he smirked down at Yuugi. "So what do you say? We have a deal?"

"Sure, that sounds like an agreement- almost," Yuugi said, snatching the letters and Amir's tin in the same second, "you'll be respectful of Atem, or at least ignore him until we've gone, else I'll throw these into the sea when we reach the nymphs."

It was a bluff, of course, but Yuugi would keep Amir on his toes for as long as this rare opportunity befell him.

Amir's face wrinkled with distaste. "I really need to train that stupid fucking bird."

Yuugi only smiled, reveling in his successes, before returning to the table to join whatever conversation had transpired between Marik and his darling partner. He placed his hand on the small of Atem's back as they chatted, his mind replaying that almost kiss on loop.

Even Amir's rare gift couldn't compensate for what he'd stolen from him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Half way through!
> 
> I'd love to thank all the amazing readers who've been keeping up, liking, bookmarking and commenting on The Offering. It's really such a joy to see that you like the stories I'm producing. <3


	8. The City of Lyra

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A bit of mild nsfw near the end, but it's easy enough to skip over. No major plot points will be missed if you decide to skip over it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> By now I've moved into classes, and this Tuesday classes will start. Weekly updates are no longer a reasonable expectation, but hopefully twice a month can still be a reality!
> 
> This chapter is extremely long, so I'm going to edit it later, hopefully.

After spending a week in the Djinn Country, Yuugi and Atem returned to the caravan with the evidence of their visit neatly piled in the corner of their wagon, still leaving them with plenty of space to lay together. With laughter in their lungs and a plate of street food that Yuugi had bought for Atem to share between the two of them, the trip had begun with a particularly merry start and left the human prince with hope in his breast that the rest of their expedition could continue with the same success. And with a dash of good fortune, somewhere in between this moment of sweetness here on their travels to their next expedition, Atem could recover the intimate moment he'd lost to the Djinn prince's intrusion.

But this was no time to dwell over that, especially not after Yuugi had decorated him with the precious jewels from the heart of the demon kingdom, gold bands along his wrists and glints of wine flashed against his throat. Even if he'd missed the chance to have Yuugi's lips against his own in the marketplace, his prince had spoiled him with more than his purchases, but in the sweet words that had grazed the shell of his ear amidst the crowds and in between formal affairs. Truly, Yuugi spared no stops in showing him his affections.

Atem sprawled out over the cushion, one hand laid against Yuugi's chest and a smile on his lips. "So," Atem purred, "where are we off to next? Care to tell me more about our travels?"

"Mmm," Yuugi purred, his lips curled into a smile that made Atem's heart ache, "I think that's the Springs of the Nymphs. The scenery is breathtaking- actually, a lot of couples used to travel there during honeymoons."

Something of the name sounded familiar, ringing in his head that he'd heard it before. Atem brushed it off, supposing that Yuugi undoubtedly told it to him before, or he'd overheard it in the dining hall or in the Djinn courts.

"Is that right? Then I suppose the locals must be a little more hospitable here than in Djinn country?" Atem grinned, referring back to their encounter with a particular prince. Atem was still unsure what had occurred during the conversation between the two, only that Yuugi seemed to have settled it, and Amir had stayed out of their path for the majority of their stay.

Yuugi laughed at this, "you could certainly say that. I'm only concerned the locals will be perhaps too kind to you. It's a matriarchal village. They'd love to keep a beautiful prince like you- and that's without even thinking about your lineage."

"What of my lineage?"

A trace of venom had seeped into Atem's voice without thought. Although Yuugi had treated him as his equal in most regards and shielded him without any complaint or condescension from the parts of his culture he couldn't comprehend, Atem still knew how many demons of the palace looked at him. Fragile and simple.

"No, no, nothing like it sounded. It's only that- well, before humans and demons became so separated- it was regarded that coupling between the two could be particularly... exhilarating."

Bits and pieces of things he'd heard, fragments of memories from the past and the new knowledge Yuugi spoke to him began to turn like wheels in his consciousness, and understandings he didn't want to think of dawned upon him. 

"The nymphs- Joseph told me before that they're also capable of causing imprints? Like the one I formed with you?"

"Well, that's true, but I'm only partly concubus. A full-blooded nymph leaves a stronger but distinctly different-"

Atem cut off Yuugi mid sentence, uninterested in specifics.

"Yuugi, I can't go through another imprint! Let alone one that's stronger- I felt like I could've died the first time," he lamented, paling at the idea, falling into a distress Yuugi had yet to witness before.

"Atem, my darling, there's nothing for you to fear," Yuugi cooed, running his hands through Atem's thick curls, a gentle tickle against his scalp that only seemed to bring his agitations to an even hotter boil.

"Who are you to tell me that?" Atem said, swatting Yuugi's fingers out of his hair, "you've never experienced it, how could I ever expect you to understand?"

"Hey," Yuugi called to him, firmly as he clasped his hand around Atem's, "I know that I will never be able to face the same thing you went through in this life, but what I can promise you is that I won't let that happen to you again here."

Atem let out a short sigh, and while he often relied on Yuugi to be his guiding voice of reason in this world Atem knew so little of, and he could trust even less of what he'd been taught, he could not discard his worries so swiftly. His mind had been awash with anxiety, and while perhaps it did not reach him with the same intensity that caused him to wretch on his travels here, it lingered. 

Yuugi's hands ran up and down his arm in gentle, soothing motions, and while they did comfort him in the slightest, it did little to help him forget his troubles. Atem crossed his arms and turned from him.

"Oh, Atem," Yuugi murmured in his tenderest tone yet, "you know what? Let's talk about this more in a little bit- I've got something that I think will help..."

While he remained unconvinced anything could assuage his fears of their upcoming travels, he didn't argue, and simply watched Yuugi shuffle through his bag and pull out a pipe, and a small silver tin. It did, however, pique his curiosity as to what the prince planned to do to lift his spirits.

He watched and watched as Yuugi lit a lantern before the sun had even leaned down to kiss the horizon, and pulled the drawstrings to the wagon covering, leaving only the smallest pinhole of a window to the world as an opening. He pressed his thumbs and forefingers together, and his two hands met, only for him to draw them apart, crafting swirling shadows in between them, and molding them into a long pipe, filling the bowl with the glittering substance from within the tin. 

With his thumb, he conjured flame and lit the pipe, taking a deep inhale and blowing curls of smoke into the wagon, a fragrant aroma following it. He held the stem up to Atem and offered the same for him.

"Try it, just a little. I promise, just once. It'll help you to relax," Yuugi assured him. Atem could sense the magic fresh in the air, but still, he wanted to feel at ease, and he could put his prejudices aside for just a moment, to be calm with Yuugi.

He drew in a breath and let it fill his lungs before Yuugi took the pipe from him, encouraging him not to exhale yet. When he was finally allowed to breathe out, he coughed out smoke, colors dancing in the light of the lantern. 

His troubles began to fade, still present, but less focused and more easily tucked into the back of his mind as Yuugi took another hit, and smoke began to cloud the wagon. 

"What is this?" Atem asked, his mind curious beneath the gentle haze. Whatever it was, it wasn't at all unpleasant. Not in the slightest.

"This is a plant with mild magical properties, all of them recreational, with some effects..." Atem, however, lost track of what Yuugi was saying, despite having asked him the question himself.

Atem moved closer to Yuugi again, scootching hip to hip, and straddling the other's legs when the proximity he gained from sitting beside him proved not to be enough for him. His place on the prince's lap proved to be much more enticing, and a lazy smile floated onto his expression.

"Oh, so you needed the best seat in the wagon, huh?" Yuugi teased.

Atem found this to be outrageously funny, a fit of giggles parting his lips as he wrapped his arms around Yuugi's shoulders, leaning further into Yuugi with a sigh of contentment.

"Feeling better?" Yuugi asked him, looking as if he'd melted into his cushioned seat, "think you might be able to listen to more about the nymphs, and how I'll keep you safe?"

"Mhmm," Atem purred, his fears all but forgotten as he settled comfortably on top of Yuugi, "I'd love to hear that..."

"Oh, I'm so glad," Yuugi smiled, his fingertip trailing down the curve of Atem's cheek, "you should know, you won't be able to imprint on the nymphs if you've already finished an imprint with someone else... Ours is still new, but, it should be enough to prevent any new ones, I think."

"And even if it wasn't," Yuugi continued, pulling Atem in closer, "I wouldn't dare let anyone else close enough to try anything with you. I won't let anyone steal my precious prince from me."

Atem laughed softly as Yuugi's nose pressed against his, a tinkling lilt between the two of them, to which the demon prince only added to, "Oh, my hero."

Atem pulled apart from Yuugi to admire his pleasant features, the delicate touch of his fingertips traversed the curve of the demon prince's cheek to his jawline. His gaze, meanwhile, traveled from his full lips to the sparkling violet of his eyes, before wandering up to the crown of Yuugi's head with a new interest in the protruding horns. He stared, lips parted as if to ask a question that never made it to his tongue.

"Something wrong?" Yuugi asked while his hands lingered on Atem's waist, a coy smile curling his lips.

"No, not at all... I was just thinking. Can I touch it?"

"What, my horns?" 

"Yeah..." Atem asked, transfixed as his gaze slowly switched between glancing to Yuugi's eyes before back to his horns with renewed interest.

"Sure, go ahead."

With Yuugi's permission granted to him, he ran his finger along his center most horn- solid and smooth to the touch with gentle ridges, like a perfect stone. Gently, he wrapped his hand around it, curious but delighted that Yuugi was allowing him to proceed. Even the demonic parts of Yuugi were entrancing.

"Having fun?" Yuugi asked, only for Atem to ignore him.

Atem's hands trailed down, cupping Yuugi's cheeks before he leaned in to press a chaste kiss to the top of Yuugi's horn.

***

The caravan climbed higher and higher, hiking through the path carved into the mountainside, the skies dizzyingly blue, and mist gently obscuring the scenery as they traveled. Crisp air filled Atem's lungs, and he found he couldn't bear to look outside of the wagon, the sheer cliffs proving too much for his more delicate constitution.

He dipped back into the wagon, satisfied with his looking and leaned back into Yuugi's arms. "We're so high up."

"Mm, we're almost there. Soon you'll have your feet on solid ground, and you won't have to worry about the ride," Yuugi promised him, slotting his fingers between Atem's, and pulling his hand up to his lips, pressing a chaste kiss against his knuckles.

"And you're confident you'll keep me safe from all these eligible women?" Atem asked, a smirk on his lips as he allowed Yuugi to kiss his hand.

"Oh, positively certain, my darling prince," Yuugi grinned, pulling Atem's hand against his chest, while the other cupped his smooth cheek, "I will make absolutely sure that not even one of their soft, manicured hands comes in contact with you."

Laughter spilled from Atem at this, gently pushing Yuugi's shoulder before the interaction simmered into their previous quiet closeness. "In all seriousness, though... how can you be so sure that nothing will happen? It's not as if you- or anyone, for that matter, has ever brought a human into this territory."

Even without the risk of an imprint and the recreations and relaxation on their trip northbound, the fear of such a fatal attraction did not escape him. Unfamiliar with any mention of nymphs not poisoned by prejudices or ignorance, he couldn't deny the thought of being stolen away was one that unfolded in his mind on the rare occasion in his time with Yuugi. 

"Atem, I'm asking you to trust me not to lead you astray. Not only that, but I'm asking you to trust me to understand the people of this kingdom, and to adjust accordingly to keep you safe, and lead the best life you can have here," he said softly, running his thumb in circles across Atem's smooth palms. "Will you trust me, my prince?"

Atem had seen this side of Yuugi in this intensity only once before; He'd seen a glimpse of this firmness, his rationality, his conviction, on the first moment they met. It was in the peace gardens where life from the human kingdoms as well as the demonic domain flourished together, overlapping in perfect harmony. Seeing him now, so sure of his people with absolute, unwavering faith but such high regards for his well-being all at once was surely the crown prince of the Penumbral Palace. 

"Yes," Atem said, his eyes having been locked onto Yuugi's for a moment of silence before answering, "I trust you."

Perhaps he hadn't seen it before, too caught up in their frivolous adventures away from the royal court, too busy drinking in the world so vast and unfamiliar and entirely beyond his imagination, to realize the truth in who Yuugi was. A prince, a man to take the crown and inherit this kingdom he treasured so dearly. It was hard not to see the beauty in the details when Yuugi loved it with such fervent conviction. He wondered briefly if their positions were changed whether or not Yuugi would've been able to see the same qualities of a leader within him.

Yuugi smiled at him warmly before parting from him, moving to inspect their finds from the market, before he unwrapped something Atem hadn't seen Yuugi purchase in the bizarre. 

A thin, translucent piece of fabric, a vibrant turquoise in color, drops of gold embellished the edges. Yuugi gently draped it over Atem's head, adjusting it slightly.

"Beautiful."

"What's this?" Atem asked, fingers toying with the golden edges, but the compliment hadn't gone unnoticed as his cheeks began to heat under Yuugi's gentle gaze.

"A veil," Yuugi enlightened. "You wanted to be sure you'd be safe around the nymphs. It's traditional for consorts in the royal court to wear one to show their new status."

Atem raised an eyebrow, the corner of his lips curling into a smirk. "Whose consort am I, then? The king doesn't appear to be particularly interested... and I just couldn't bear to imagine myself with his advisor..."

"Hmm, now that does seem to poke some holes into my otherwise excellent plan..." Yuugi said, stroking his chin as if in deep thought on the matter, "I suppose that you'll just have to pose as my consort."

"Is that so?" Atem said, leaning into Yuugi with an ultimately too satisfied smile on soft lips, "I'm your consort?"

"Only if you'd do me the honor," he said, hugging him tighter to his chest.

"Well, I think I that might work..." Atem whispered, tilting his head to the side, his lips brushing against Yuugi in a chaste kiss through the veil.

Yuugi pressed in closer to Atem, until the wagon lurched into a sudden stop, and pulled them apart just slightly. The noise of others exiting their own wagons and the lack of any further movement after their days of travel came the realization they'd arrived at their next destination. Atem fixed his veil and allowed Yuugi to help him prepare to make his entrance, and helped him to exit the wagon.

With Yuugi's hand in his own, the two walked along a smooth stone pathway, having escaped the bumpier roads some time ago. Fortunately, or perhaps, unfortunately, they soon found the city carved into the mountainside, a fountain in the center of the central courtyard, and a castle built into the silver stone, equipped with intricate details and windows of palatial proportion.

And accompanied by their arrival was their reception, the local population, both the youth and some of the older women gossiped amongst themselves. The way their gazes had fastened themselves onto Atem, oohing and awing at his every movement had him flushing, and he gripped onto Yuugi's hand tightly in hopes it could help him feel more secure beneath the new attention. He couldn't make out what they said between themselves, their chiming voices and tinkling dialects something he couldn't recognize as the common language.

Where Atem stood uncertain as to how to proceed or handle the situation, Yuugi only let go of his hand to wrap his arm around his waist, giving the many eyes that bore into him a cordial wave. A woman with waist length hair decorated with a crown of shells finally approached. 

"Hi again, Yuugi. Miho is always happy to see you, and... this is your human consort? He is... very lovely." She said, a smile on her lips as she spoke in the common tongue. Her eyes swept over his body, drinking in his image almost lecherously. Atem gulped.

"Yes, and it's good to see you, too, Miho. This is Atem, the Prince of Khemet," Yuugi introduced, the heat of his palm still present on his waist. Atem shivered as Yuugi's touch became more than the pleasant affection, but a protectiveness that was more than a touch possessive. 

Atem watched wordlessly as their interactions played out, Miho taking a half step back instead of proceeding to hover over Atem as if he was her next meal, and the prince was endlessly grateful for it. He let out a soft sigh of relief at the new distance he gained.

"Should Miho lead the happy couple to the gardens?" She offered, "the others are waiting to see."

"Yes, Miho. We would enjoy that very much," Yuugi agreed, leaning into Atem's side the slightest bit more. 

And thus, she did. Atem was led, arm in arm with Yuugi, to a misty courtyard, full of flowers that had been cultivated to grow in the rocky soil, filling the silvery scenery with color, as well as the archways and other stone architectural feats much smaller than the palace. Atem seated himself beside Yuugi, tucked into him as the others chattered on around him, some in their soft and lilting nymph languages, and others with a firmer grasp on the common language than Miho continued to speak with Yuugi. Rarely did they ask about him, but their eyes did linger on him, around his shoulders and where the thin flowing fabrics Yuugi had bought for him ended, over his bronze skin.

Never did they attempt to touch, however, just as Yuugi promised him during their travels. While he didn't find he particularly enjoyed the local culture's fixation with him, he did appreciate the personal attention to him it drew from Yuugi.

The hours seemed to pass quickly this way, fading away as the sun moved lower in the sky; afternoon had turned into the early evening when Yuugi leaned in closer to him, whispering in his ear.

"As much as I adore how well you're being received here, I think, perhaps, we should move somewhere more... private."

***

"I'm sorry, sire, but it seems the general of Lyra is currently away," Pegasus said, still reading over the letter left behind for them, notifying their visitors of sudden leave.

"What do you mean, general Valentine's away? Where has she gone, then, if she's not here?" came Solomon's deeply unimpressed response.

"I am deeply sorry to intrude, your majesty," one of the general's few servants trusted highly enough to care for the domain in her absence arrived before the king and dipped her head low to the ground in a bow. "However, General Valentine had scheduled a visit to the Fae weeks in advance, and we hadn't received word of your tour until she'd just made her departure."

"Is that right?"

"Yes, your majesty."

"And you're Anzu, aren't you? A good friend of my grandson?"

"Yes, your majesty."

"Hm. Well, I suppose it can't be helped if that's the case. We'll have to shorten some of the time we planned to spend here previously in order to see her at our next destination."

"Of course, I understand. The banquet will begin in an hour if you would be so kind as to join us."

"Of course. And, Anzu, I have something else to request of you."

"Yes, your majesty?"

"Go fetch Yuugi for the banquet. I don't want him having too much fun with his human pet..."

"Of course, I'd be delighted to see him again," she agreed with a quick nod of her head and a bow before excusing herself.

***

Laughter spilled from Atem as he and his dear partner dashed out of earshot from the gathering currently taking place in the square. Many of the nymphs had been placated with the arrival of other demons, enough so that they allowed the two of them to leave under the guise of perusing their unique wares. While Atem didn't know much of the nymph's culture aside from their hypnotic charms and their capabilities of causing imprints, he was certain that Yuugi held no interest in shopping during this current moment.

"Where are we going?" Atem asked, delighted by Yuugi's grip on his hand, a fit of giggles escaping him in the mist.

"You'll see!" Yuugi assured him as they climbed upwards.

Atem could barely see through the thick fog, and could only hold tight to Yuugi, trusting his direction as well as his balance, until he stopped, telling him that they had reached their destination.

As Atem's focus shifted from Yuugi's grip on his hand and the scenery before him he could make out through the fog, his gaze fell on a body of water tucked away in the mountainside, mist rolling off of its glassy surface, and flowers blooming around it. From what Atem could make out of it, it was beautiful and inviting, and he was tempted to dip a toe into it.

"What is this place?" Atem asked in a hushed awe, leaning into Yuugi's arm. 

"This is the spring of Cygnus," Yuugi said softly, "there's a legend that says the water here holds a blessing for lovers and grants them prosperity and sweetness in their endeavors."

"And this is where you wanted to take me?" Atem said, a warm smile on his lips as he wrapped his arms around Yuugi's neck.

"Of course," Yuugi whispered, leaning in close to Atem, cupping his face and gently stroking his cheek, "there's no one else I could imagine bringing here with me."

The soft sensation of Yuugi's breath tickled against his face, closer and closer, until Yuugi's mouth finally met with his own, captivating him in a kiss. Petal soft lips brushed against his own, unbridled by interruptions, slow and tender as they shared this moment alone together. 

Atem's pulse sped up as Yuugi tilted his head to the side and grazed his teeth over his bottom lip, a gasp escaping his parted lips as he pressed closer to Yuugi, gripping onto thick curls. They parted, but a sweet smile clung onto Yuugi's lips, and Atem felt entirely enamored. A pause between them full of intimate silence took place until Yuugi spoke up.

"Let's go for a swim," Yuugi purred against the shell of Atem's ear before peppering his cheek with more kisses.

"Really?" 

"Of course, I wouldn't want to leave without the spring's blessing..."

Atem flushed at the insinuation of it, that he truly found his place at Yuugi's side as his friend, and as his lover. Even despite their origins, their separate ways, and the ignorance he arrived in Yuugi's home with, he'd been welcomed here as the crown prince's consort. He treasured Yuugi's affection and the devotion to the relationship that had blossomed between them more than any other gift he'd given him so far.

He watched as Yuugi stripped out of his clothes, unbuttoning his overcoat as well as the shirt beneath, and his mouth went dry. His eyes traveled over him, admiring every inch revealed of his lover until he realized he should undress as well if he were to get in the water with his lover.

Atem shed his veil and his silks, carefully removing every piece of jewelry from his ears, his wrists, and his throat before he watched Yuugi slide into the water. He looked so beautiful, and Atem was more than pleased to follow him. 

He shuddered entering the water, not having expected it to have been so warm, but sank into it and moved to be closer to Yuugi who was more than pleased to wrap his arm around his shoulder and bask in their closeness. He'd never expected to know an intimacy so honest, but he couldn't imagine being without it, now. Without hesitation, he leaned in to kiss Yuugi again, overcoming his modesty on being exposed.

Their kisses became longer and deeper, and eventually, Atem had found himself slid into Yuugi's lap to continue more comfortably. He moaned softly as Yuugi's tongue slipped into his mouth, and Atem allowed his partner to take the lead, allowed himself to melt into it. Cloaked in the warmth of the spring, and being showered in intimacy he'd craved for so long, Atem was unable to think of anything else aside from Yuugi's touch, his hands on his waist, and his lips against his own.

That was, until the familiar heat of arousal rose in his abdomen, and his bashfulness had risen up in him just as it had before. His cheeks pricked with warmth as he realized his reaction to Yuugi's touch, and was unsure of how to proceed, never having reached such a point of intimacy with another before. He parted from the prince's kisses, glancing away from him. 

Yuugi, however, was not nearly as shy about this, and handled the situation with considerably more grace. He ran his hand along Atem's arm so gently, his actions full of sweetness.

"There's no need to be embarrassed," he cooed, "I'm excited, too. I would love to do more with you than kiss, if you want that, too."

Yuugi's tender touches and reassuring words helped Atem to regain his nerve, and he nodded, more than willing to go on with this. "Yes, yes please."

Atem fell into another kiss with Yuugi, his breath hitching softly throughout, while his partner's hands ran down his sides, his hips, and moved to cup the curve of his ass.

It was Yuugi who parted from their kiss this time, flushed and smiling sheepishly. "I don't think anyone would follow us here, but perhaps it would be best to go back to the wagon, instead of out in the open."

Atem nodded to this, slightly disappointed in stopping, but he moved out of the water quickly, hoping to get to the wagon that much faster. The two of them rushed to throw their clothes back on hurriedly, Yuugi's shirt entirely unbuttoned, his jacket flung over his shoulder, while Atem haphazardly wrapped himself in his silks and carried his jewelry in his hand. Yuugi took Atem's arm in his own, helping him to keep his balance as they made their way back.

As they finally made it back to the wagon, Atem was gently pushed back onto the cushions, to which he laughed and grinned as Yuugi came down on top of him, his legs and arms on either side of him. He lowered himself down further and laid on top of him, and Atem wrapped his arms around his shoulders.

"You make me so, so happy, Atem," Yuugi whispered between kisses, "I'm so glad to be with you."

"Me too, oh gods, me too."

Yuugi's mouth trailed down to Atem's neck, softly biting, sucking marks into his skin while he moaned, rocking his hips up and grinding against his lover. Pleasure mounted in him like never before, his fingers grasping tightly into Yuugi's hair as he called out for him softly. 

"Yuugi, oh, yes, Yuugi," he gasped, his back arching up to further press into his lover's hips.

Yuugi only chuckled at this. "Try not to get too carried away," he purred, "we haven't even gotten our clothes off yet."

And it seemed that they wouldn't tonight, either. A knock against the frame of their wagon was enough to separate them before the curtains that served as a door was spread.

"Yuugi," she chimed, "you'd better not be avoiding me-"

Anzu was silenced, however, as she undoubtedly noticed the disheveled state of their clothes, their bedding strewn across the interior of the wagon, and the expression of being caught painted onto their faces.

"Ah." She mouthed, "is this a bad time? No, yes, of course, it is- your grandfather wanted me to tell you the banquet's about to start, and that he wants you there. S-sorry for interrupting."

"No," Yuugi lied, "it's no trouble but... ah... perhaps we should catch up later."

***

Atem would make no attempts to say that he wasn't disappointed in that his time alone with his lover was interrupted. However, he had so much more to rejoice in, in being seen as the crowned prince's beloved partner, his lover, his consort, and that Yuugi saw him as every one of these titles bestowed upon him. He adored the way Yuugi looked at him, and how he touched him and held his hand. 

Right now, however, he particularly enjoyed the way Yuugi's hand rested on the small of his back, making it known that Atem was truly his for all eyes to see. While he'd rather have been still in the wagon, consummating their newly official relationship, Atem was far too lost in love in this moment to be too upset about it.


	9. Fae Labyrinths

"Really, is that so?" 

"Mhm, the fae are so incredible at enchantment, the forest surrounding the main cities were nearly impossible to reach until the demon kingdom had finally agreed to converge."

"What? That's... sort of terrifying. I've never heard anything like that."

"Well, of course, very few humans encounter the fae and return to tell the tale," Yuugi laughed. "From the stories I've heard from long before the war, humans who met one of the fae were so stunned by the magic they encountered, they threw away their former lives and lived out the rest of their days here."

"That's... even more terrifying," Atem frowned, his features crinkling.

"Sorry, sorry. Things are different now, but the fae people are known particularly well for playing tricks. Fortunately, there are laws in play now that limit how far that goes."

"Thank the gods," Atem said, heaving out a sigh of relief.

It was a matter all too simple for Yuugi to forget Atem's sensitive constitution in discussion of the demon's native cultures. They spent their days so intimately intertwined with very little time spent apart during their travels. It felt like the two of them had lived lifetimes together, and yet it had been no more than two months since the two of them first met. In the folds of his mind, under every logical rationale, Yuugi understood it was the effects of their shared imprint truly taking root, but deep in the tenderest recesses his soul, he felt their connection together as something nearly cosmic. He couldn't help but wonder if the blessing spoken of in myth could've been rooted in something more than the rumors of a nymph.

But still, there were some boundaries between them Yuugi wouldn't dare to cross. The idea of recounting his people's histories filled him with a nearly shameful discomfort, and in the same vein, Atem refused to speak of Khemet's. While it sometimes proved to create a bit of a barrier between them in their conversations on occasion, Yuugi hardly found it to be terribly upsetting. The future ahead of them shined so radiantly that Yuugi could find no shred of incentive to stare into the blood or the bleakness of the past. 

Yuugi adored Atem, and he would do what he could to show him that, including avoiding any talk of the past. 

"So, those incidents occurred a long time ago. What is it like there today?" Atem asked after a brief pause, leaning into Yuugi's shoulder.

"Well, currently, the Fae are still relatively isolationist. While they've agreed to partake in trade and diplomacy and become a functional part of the demon kingdom, they don't take kindly to unwelcome guests. The vetting process to come here is rather intense, and it's one of the safest places in the kingdom, second to the Capitol city."

"That being said, they also have incredible resources in magic. There are many things you can only acquire here, which makes it a very wealthy part of the kingdom. I plan on doing some shopping for myself while we're here. There are a few things I'd like to retrieve before we return to the palace."

"Mmm, I suppose that's not really the sort of perusal I'd be much help with."

"Perhaps not," Yuugi said, a warm smile curling onto his lips, "but I'd be more than happy to have you escort me through it, anyhow."

"Yeah?" Atem purred, leaning in closer to him.

"I don't think I'd be able to find any better company in any corner of any kingdom."

Yuugi leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to Atem's lips, his fingers swallowed by Atem's thick curls as he ran his hands through his hair. After their time spent under the shelter of the city of Lyra, it became a difficult task trying to remember the times where Yuugi was unable to relish in this softness, the addictive qualities of their most tender intimacies. 

But even behind the closed doors in the room they'd been so graciously allowed to spend their nights in while they visited Lyra, under the sweetest caress of smooth sheets, the two of them had decided to abstain from any further efforts of coupling. After the constant series of interruptions, the two of them came to the conclusion it would be a more fruitful effort to continue further attempts once they'd returned to the palace. 

Still, even considering the inevitable distractions they were to encounter, it was impossible to resist indulging in kisses and constant closeness.

Yuugi gladly painted the scene of the fae villages and hierarchy for Atem in vivid detail as the nestled against each other in the warmth they provided each other. As minutes turned to hours, and the food from their last stop vanished, Yuugi melted into Atem in a tender embrace, falling deep into sleep.

The next time the two had awakened, they were deep within the labyrinth-like city of the fae, their appearance no more than minutes away. In the time the two of them spent traveling together, they'd become accustomed to the routines of their arrival. The lodging of the caravan, the formal introductions, the announcement of a feast to be held in their honor as well as to honor their diplomatic relations. 

And, inevitably at the end of these things, Yuugi slipped away, as inconspicuous and silent as the creep of a shadow, with Atem in his arm to milk the most out of their short visit in some of the kingdom's most beautiful and cherished cities. This time, Yuugi's excursion to take him away from the crowding group from the caravan was the first that wasn't exclusively for Atem. While he wouldn't pass up the opportunity to spoil his beloved if it presented itself, Yuugi hadn't planned to cater to Atem's whims on this particular shopping trip.

Or at least, it didn't pertain to his desires as far as Atem could understand in the present instant.

Still, Yuugi eyed the aisles of potions and ingredients that lined store after store, with the same wonder that Atem looked at the Djinn Bazaar. He plucked bottles from the shelves, turning them over in his hand, reading labels and sighing softly in awe of them.

"Oh, Atem, look at this- it's liquid luck... These take years to brew..." 

Atem only smiled in response, and Yuugi assumed it was to humor his passion, knowing that he didn't have any frame of reference for these things. Thus, the prince was met with a surprise when Atem carefully took the bottle from his hand and placed it back onto the shelf where Yuugi had taken it from. 

"I don't know about you, but I don't need any luck with you by my side," Atem purred, brushing full, petal soft lips against Yuugi's. Yuugi was certain he'd melt.

"You do have a point there," Yuugi murmured into the soft kisses, "I must already be exceptionally fortunate to be blessed with you."

Atem laughed, "I could've told you that, considering the history of our Mehen matches."

The two of them, however, were interrupted in this moment of sweetness by a voice calling out to Yuugi coming from a familiar white-haired wraith.

"Oh, do my eyes deceive me, or has the crown prince taken a consort?" they called, a smile curling onto white lips.

"Ryou," Yuugi addressed, pleasantly surprised to see his dear friend so suddenly, "pleasure seeing you here. This is Atem, prince of Khemet."

Ryou stood tall and slender, white feathers adorning thin shoulders, and sprawling out from between their shoulder blades. They hadn't changed a bit since Yuugi'd seen them last, aside from the slightest change in their smile.

Atem gave a nod to Ryou in respect, still holding onto Yuugi's arm.

"Mmm, yes, I've heard much about that. How sublime to have a human prince visiting," Ryou said, dark eyes wandering along Atem's form, "and even more so that you two get along so well."

"Yes... yes of course," Yuugi said, glancing to Atem with a tender gaze.

It took a moment before a thought sprung back into mind, the intimate reminder having resurfaced Amir's request in his mind.

"And speaking of getting along, I've heard the Djinn prince is unusually charmed with you. He asked me to deliver a few letters to you. If I'd been expecting to see you so soon, I would've kept them on my person."

"Not to worry, Yuugi. I was hoping you'd meet me privately to catch up later, anyhow."

"Oh, yes! Most indubitably. I would be happy to join you later on."

"Oh, how excellent. And perhaps we could sit and take a glance at those letters together?"

"I would love that, I'll see you then," Yuugi said with a cordial smile before he returned to perusing the aisles.

Eventually, as the two of them meandered through the shopping district arm and arm, Atem became rather preoccupied with some of the store's wares, leaving Yuugi to look at magical items without his discretion. Atem's distraction couldn't have been more perfect, as Yuugi found himself before an entire display of concoctions he could use with purpose, and a bottle or two would certainly get its use.

But with such a variety of so many varying intensities and unique nuances, it came as a more thought-provoking decision than it likely should have been. After all, Atem had proved himself especially sensitive to magical effects, and thus it only stressed the importance of Yuugi making a choice that would suit his dear partner.

But while he was eyeing effects and nuanced ingredients, slender fingers curled over his shoulder, sending a shiver down his shoulder, only to find Ryou appearing yet again, plucking a bottle from off the shelf, and placing it into Yuugi's hand.

"Ryou, I didn't see you," Yuugi said, having yet to shift his attention to the glass bottle that had been placed in his hand.

"Oh, no, but I certainly saw you," they said, the smile on their pale lips all too amused, "You need help picking something for your little human lover, don't you?"

"Yes, but-" Yuugi read the label briefly before his eyes widened, "Oh- are you sure about this? This isn't mild by any means, and Atem is highly... receptive to magic. Are you sure this won't be too much for him?"

"Oh, now come on, Yuugi. That only makes it all the better," Ryou winked.

"Well, if you're certain, there's no questioning the quality..."

"Positively confident. Now, collect your sweetheart, we'll be hosting the feast soon, and I couldn't possibly have you missing that."

***

The banquet was full of warm regards, delicious foods, and the occasional trick that Yuugi helped Atem sidestep. Otherwise, it was perfectly pleasant, with Yuugi seated next to his lover, fine wine in their glasses, and easy conversation throughout dinner. It was much different than in the nymph territories, where the people seemed to attempt to devour Atem with their eyes, their gazes lapping at Atem's bronze skin. Here, at least, he was much less concerned about his darling being stolen away from him if he turned his head for half a moment. 

While all was calm and cordial, one face stood out notably from all the others at the table. Mai Valentine, the general of Lyra and the nymph territories, was currently sat far across from him at the long dining table. Briefly, he wondered if it was an illusion, but her golden tresses, violet eyes, and sharp tongue were unmistakable, and even more curious, was that she seemed to be holding a conversation with his grandfather.

Before he could make out what was being said, for his eyes to read any words from Mai's lips, nobles had slowly begun to clear from the table, and the general followed suit quickly after. 

His attention, however, was drawn away from this when Atem's fingers slotted between his own, and he leaned in a little closer.

"Let's go back to the wagon," he whispered through a smile.

Yuugi could hardly refuse such a tempting proposal, and so, with his fingers laced into the spaces between Atem's own, they left. Dinner had been forgotten in the hall as they stepped out into the crisp air, and climbed into the wagon. It was nearly a second home considering all the time the two of them spent tangled together inside of it and now was no different.

Atem's slender fingers had laced into Yuugi's hair, pulling him down into more tender kisses while Yuugi held him tightly.

"Yuugi," Atem whispered against his mouth before parting, "I'm so happy here with you." 

Yuugi laughed into their kisses, "I'm happy to have you with me, too."

"I wish we were home, so we could be alone together," he murmured, his breath softer than a breath of spring against Yuugi's lips.

"Yeah? What'll we do, when we're home together, darling?"

"Everything, anything. I don't care as long as you're with me."

"Mmm, how much wine have you had tonight, Atem? I didn't know you were such a romantic," Yuugi purred, gently brushing his lips against the smooth skin of Atem's throat.

"Not enough," he laughed.

They continued in this way, kissing and touching each other, drowning in gentleness and adoration until Atem grew heavy with sleep in Yuugi's arms. Atem's hands still remained clinging to his shoulders, but his grip had loosened as he fell into the lull of unconsciousness. Yuugi pressed one final kiss to Atem's forehead and bade him good night before the corner of a letter caught his eye, and suddenly he recalled the favor he'd yet to complete. 

Slowly, he laid Atem down in their mess of cushions, blanketing him in the soft throws that littered their bedding before he snatched the letters from the floor of the wagon. He stepped out and closed the door securely behind him. Surely, not even the fae would be bold enough to attempt anything against the King's caravan, and certainly not enough to compromise the offering of peace from their adversaries.

Yuugi slipped into the castle unnoticed, envelopes in hand. Even still, as he arrived here in Ryou's home, Yuugi could hardly grasp the idea of the Djinn prince pursuing a romance, let alone something of long distance without instant gratification. He had never known Amir to be patient, nor knew him to possess the tenderness to pursue something of such an intimate nature.

But he certainly had written a letter, and the lack of surprise in Ryou's response made it seem like this wasn't the first time Amir had offered them a handwritten letter in an expression of feelings secret to the populous of their nation. He climbed the palace spire to Ryou's room, while he eyed the envelope, Amir's messy scrawl making out the letter to 'beloved Ryou,' embroidered with splotches of ink in crude black hearts.

Yuugi truly didn't understand him.

But the door to Ryou's chambers stood before him, and thus Yuugi gently rapped his knuckles against the wooden frame, and Ryou appeared shortly after.

"Oh, Yuugi," Ryou greeted, "are those the letters? You're such a dear for bringing them. I know Amir can be rather overbearing at times." Ryou reached out in attempts to snatch the collection of envelopes, but Yuugi didn't allow them to claim them so easily.

That was one way to put it.

"Really? And you're totally certain that this is from Amir? Is there perhaps a second Djinn prince with that name, making out letters to his 'beloved Ryou'?" Yuugi teased, reading out the endearment before handing Amir's letters over to his dear friend.

"Oh hush," Ryou said, their porcelain skin going flush under the teasing, "it's not like it's any more strange than the annual offering becoming your consort."

But Ryou held the letters so carefully to their chest, a warm smile on heart-shaped lips. 

"Well, now I'm all too interested. Are you going to read them for me?"

"Oh, absolutely. I can hardly imagine keeping it to myself if you already know," Ryou grinned, sitting down at the edge of their bed, gently running pale hands in a circular motion on the space beside them in an invitation, which Yuugi was quick to accept.

"Now, exactly how serious is this pursuit, Ryou?" Yuugi teased while Ryou began to open up their letter.

"Oh, gravely serious I'm afraid," Ryou hummed.

"And what exactly happened to forever being a bachelor?"

"I worry that your hopelessly romantic qualities are contagious, as it seems shortly after we spent the winter solstice together, I was plagued with these disgustingly affectionate thoughts."

"So not even a year, and you've already tamed the Djinn prince into writing you sappy letters? What sort of spells are hiding up your sleeves, your highness?" Yuugi teased, running the tips of his fingers along Ryou's forearm as if inspecting the fabric along it truly did hold some fantastical mysteries.

"Oh hush, I've got it open, let me read it-" Ryou insisted.

"My dearest Ryou,

Since our last meeting, I have missed you hopelessly, and I find myself thinking of..."

Ryou trailed off for a moment, eyes widening and shielding the letter from Yuugi's eyes.

"Oh. Oh. Perhaps I should check the other one!" Ryou said, tucking the letter away, their face dusted in a rosy flush as they tucked the letter away into the envelope, and hid it away.

"By the gods, Ryou," Yuugi burst out in laughter, "it's that serious? Serious enough for Amir to write letters on how he wants you in bed?"

"Be quiet," Ryou flustered at his teasing, tearing open the second letter, "he puts a lot of effort into his letters. I think it's endearing..."

"I'm sure it is. Well, I suppose I can't argue it if he gives you as much joy as Atem does for me."

"Thank you, Yuugi. Now, let's read this... less explicit letter..." Ryou said, pulling out the papers inside, and a warm smile overtook their lips as he saw an additional gift inside the envelope.

A pastel portrait portrayed Amir's visage, his smile more sincere than Yuugi had ever seen it. Not a snarl nor a smirk nor his crooked grin, but a warm smile.

"Does he save this smile only for you?" Yuugi asked.

"Me, and the royal portrait painters..."

"I'm happy for you, Ryou. I hope you two are able to enjoy each other's company again soon."

"Of course. Now, let's look into this letter, shall we?"

"I would be absolutely delighted to see what a romantic you've turned the wild Djinn prince into."

But Ryou began to read, and as shocked as he was upon hearing the first letter, he was made doubly so in listening to the second. Never could he have conjured up an image of the other who was so hell-bent on intruding on his time with Atem to have had such a sweet romance blossoming into his life.

Perhaps he hadn't been meant to anticipate such sweetness, nor the ways that it would enter his life. While it was true that Yuugi had been fascinated with human cultures since he was just a boy and a prince only in name, he never could have imagined the impact the prince of Khemet would have on his heart. Never could he have envisioned the beauty carved into his face nor the love he felt on his lips.

Even as an optimist, some things would always settle just out of the edges of his grasp or foresight, and perhaps life was meant to be this way, the best and the worst just remaining just outside of his expectations.

"That's beautiful, Ryou," Yuugi said, and his heart ached to return to his own lover, to wrap his arms around his most precious partner. A yawn fell from the prince's lips, and Yuugi attempted to cover it with his palm.

"I suppose I should return to Atem, and get some sleep tonight."

"Oh, certainly. But before you go, I can't let this delivery go without repaying you for your kindness," Ryou assured him.

"I assure you, it isn't necessary. Amir already gave me a generous gift for this," Yuugi insisted.

"Well, then consider it an apology for however Amir had surely hassled you during your visit."

When Ryou had something swirling in their mind, it was without any sense to attempt to deter them. They placed something draped in dark wrappings into his hands, and Yuugi unpeeled it to reveal a bottle, inky black contents slopping from side to side. His eyes widened in recognition.

"Belladonna's breath? Ryou, why are you giving this to me? Why do you even have this?"

"You never know when you might need it, dear prince. Now, go on, return to your sweetheart. I'm sure he wouldn't appreciate waking up alone."

Yuugi could only nod as Ryou rushed him out of their room, his interests probably having moved back to that first letter they were unable to read in Yuugi's company, and so he left. He trailed down the stairs, his gaze looking over the bottle, a pensive frown curling down the edges of his lips. 

Despite the late hour, morning only a few hours away from sprawling across the horizon, the sound of voices curled into his ear. Yuugi's curiosity was piqued, and he decided that Atem's embrace could wait a few minutes longer until his intrigue had been sated. 

Closer and closer, Yuugi began to recognize the voice as the one belonging to his grandfather, the King.

Eavesdropping on the leader of their fair kingdom, despite sharing the same royal blood in their veins, seemed tantamount to treasons, but Yuugi couldn't bring himself to stop. Thus, with a silent breath, his form melted out of sight, cloaked in the nothingness of shadows to listen in.

The second voice, as he pressed his ear to the door, he was able to identify as the General of the nymphs, Mai Valentine.

"I'm not sure I like the implications you're supplying me with, Solomon."

"I'm not asking you to like them. What I am commanding of you is that you prepare for the worst to come. I want your best soldiers, nurses, and materials available at a moment's notice."

"I find no difficulty in preparing, but nothing you've said to me has been without immediate necessity. Not in the past, and I presume not now either. We might have every preparation to decimate the human forces in a war entirely, but are you capable of that? Of having that much blood on your hands?"

"It's nothing I want, but everyday Aknamkanon grows bolder in his disrespect. I trust you understand?"

"Unquestionably, but our relations with the humans have always been this way. They're a less developed place that shuns the progression of magic- but we've never attacked them for their incompetence."

"No, but there is something else. I can feel it in the winds, that soon, we will need to take more extreme measures."

Yuugi stepped back. He could listen no longer, and went further down, down, down the spiral staircase until he could exit the castle. 

His mind spun with the thought of entering into another war. The last had run on for at least a century, tireless, with immeasurable casualties on both ends, but even outside of wars, their history of hatred had endangered so much. The peacetime that he lived in was something that Yuugi held in his highest regards and believed in protecting.

Now, even with this knowledge, he was glad Atem remained with them and hoped that he would be able to keep him safe here. Atem was his ever precious companion, and Yuugi could no longer bear the idea of parting with him. His companionship, and the title of being the beloved partner of the Khemetian prince, was his most valued treasure.


	10. Return

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuugi and Atem finally arrive home, and Atem learns some additional lessons on demon biology.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a smut chapter. If it's not your cup of tea, then you won't be missing any major plot points by skipping this one!

On Sunday evening, the tour had drawn to a close. Yuugi had bid the court farewell, with most of his attention directed to Ryou, before the penumbral caravan assembled once again, and ventured on to a direct course for the capital city. They began their exit and left the winding labyrinths of the fae, the fabled trickery, the beauty and deceit of lore now behind them. They didn't travel through the enchanting detours of the nymphs; no time remained to admire the love magic that seemed to pervade the air, nor the hot springs, nor the ornate stonework of their castles. They did not care to take pause in Djinn country, no room in their schedule to breathe in the fragrant air or peruse the aisles of their infamous bazaar. There was no circumventing, the pathway they took was to lead them straight home, their tour had ended, and they were alone together.

Yuugi could not have been more pleased with such a development.

While the prince typically enjoyed travel, and the tour had been no exception in the many wonders it offered that he would not have been able to have shown Atem in the capitol city, he was desperately ready to partake in the comforts of home. He longed for his bed, for familiarity, for the relief that came in not having to appease duties and maintain the air of the crown prince during every waking hour. More than anything else, however, he deeply desired privacy he couldn't have in a caravan or on a tour where he was to lend himself to all others before he was to relax. The kind of which he was capable of pretending that he and Atem were the only two people in existence, and nothing would interrupt that for at least a few hours. 

The travel home was a quieter affair, no murmurs about the new towns or current events shifting in different parts of their nation, only rest, the wheels of wagons moving over dusty roads, birdsong echoing through passing forests, and occasionally the chirp of crickets on clear evenings. Yuugi and Atem would rest side by side, wrapped in blankets, swaddled in comfortable silence, but even in their waking hours, they were quiet, too. Quiet as they traveled through fields of heather, quiet as they passed by lazy streams in the early morning, and quieter even still as they moved adjacent to rural villages where their royal caravan had certainly caught the attention of locals and their interested gazes, but not a single utterance passed their lips to fall upon Yuugi's pointed ear. 

Soon enough this relaxed pace would disappear as the caravan arrived at the palace, where there would be work waiting impatiently for the royal court to tend to upon their return, meetings to attend, and all the formalities that accompanied Yuugi's position as the crown prince would come rushing back in. For now, however, Yuugi would embrace these simple moments he could still spend at his lover's side uninterrupted by friends, family, or duty. 

The calm broke when the caravan arrived home, and the palace's formalities rushed in once more. There was much work to do, numbers to crunch and the results of their travels to be discussed amongst the court and dealt with accordingly. Of course, that would require Yuugi to sit through more of their stuffy court gatherings where his grandfather would undoubtedly discuss resources and changes to be expected in production. However, he was far too aware that Solomon wouldn't dare speak of his private dealings with General Valentine, not in his presence. He could only hope, perhaps pray, that there would be no need for such possibilities to ever pass his lips again. 

For now, there was no good to be born from dwelling on it.

He parted from Atem for the first time in what must have been months, or at least the two they'd spent together during their tour, to be taken away for matters of the court where the king spoke. Before the two separated, however, Yuugi planted a soft kiss on Atem's lips with the promise of returning to him later that night. He then disappeared into the shadowy halls, following Pegasus' lead into the royal court meeting, where his grandfather had yet to begin speaking. The throne room in which the court had gathered was flush with whispers and soft conversation in which Yuugi could only distinguish a few words, all of them concerned with their travels or the work to be done with their arrival home. The prince held little interests in these arrangements, as he already had enough to concern himself with. 

Solomon entered the room, and the chatter fell hushed in his presence, taking his place on the throne where Pegasus followed with the written records of their journey. He spoke only of the triumphs of their travel and the changes to be expected in their domestic trade as well as between them and the neighboring human kingdoms.

"As is to be expected, trade with humans will need to be restricted even further unless the humans become more cooperative and efficient in their efforts. Thankfully, most of the natural resources found in Khemet can be found just as easily inside of Djinn country..."

He continued to speak of their travels, the Djinn and the Fae, and the less prominent demonic cities in between. Never once, however, did he mention the Nymphs, their business in Lyra, nor his visit with General Valentine. Subtly, it grated on his nerves as he strained to hear something that would never come, training his focus on every word to fall past his grandfather's lips. He yearned for any clarity about that clandestine meeting he'd stumbled upon coincidentally, an explanation for what he'd overheard, a misunderstanding on his part, hopefully. However, there had been no mention of it at all before Solomon began his closing statement.

"If there are no further inquiries on the trade reports and expectations for the... Yes, Yuugi?"

"Pardon me if I've missed something, but what about our stop in Lyra? If my recollection serves me correctly, their exports in precious ores to the human kingdoms are the highest in our region? Certainly, this would be affected as well?" Yuugi asked, "I was certain that this would be particularly imperative, considering our visit with the nymphs was cut short so that we could intercept General Valentine, their highest official?"

"This is all correct. However, considering the many different effects this drastic change in our exports constitutes of, we will be having a separate court meeting on all of the information pertaining to Lyra. Thank you for reminding me, Yuugi."

Yuugi nodded, and while he was still suspicious of the lack of addressing the urgent matters he'd overheard, he was relieved in knowing that soon enough he'd be privy to all of it. Or, at the very least, he could continue to insist that his grandfather divulge more information on their next visit. For now, however, he'd been satisfied enough to put away such thoughts until they needed to be addressed once more. With fresh air returned to his lungs, and a weight lifted from his heart, even if only slightly, he departed from the throne room to instead inspect the menu in the dining hall. 

He had a spectacular time tasting the different cuisines on the national tour. However, nothing felt like home quite like the taste of the delicacies present in the penumbral palace. What made the meal even better was the delicious company that joined him in the dining hall. Atem was a vision to behold as always, gold adorning his rich complexion, his smile similar to the ones he wore when he'd managed to win their Mehen matches, satisfaction curled on his lips, but warmer this time. His lover's fingers slotted into his own and held his hand in his grasp. With a glimmer in his eyes, he returned Atem's smile.

They chatted over dinner and having spent months in these halls before, there was no need for Yuugi to explain dishes or customs or anything else. Instead, before the grand dining tables and under the golden glow of crystal chandeliers, the two of them spoke freely during their meal, devouring the delicacies placed before them. 

Somewhere between conversation, the two of them began to offer each other bits of their meals off of their dishes. It was a fun way to eat that only became all the more interesting once their forks were abandoned for dessert. It began with fruits, popping a grape into each other's mouth casually enough, but too familiar to suggest friendship. The pastries, however, and the frosting that Atem would suck off Yuugi's fingers became even more intimate. The way his eyes were lidded, but his gaze still lingered on Yuugi, as his tongue met the tips of the prince's fingers became much less chaste, and perhaps too provocative for the dining hall. 

Soon enough, however, the meal had ended, and Yuugi took Atem's hand to vacate the premises, instead, leading Atem through the courtyard as a shortcut. The two of them laughed together, a lilting song in the gardens as Yuugi lifted Atem's hand and spun him like a dancer. On their way through the garden, the prince plucked a flower. He pressed the stem to rest within Atem's thick curls, a burst of small white blossoms to contrast against the deep reds of his lover's hair. Soon enough, however, they'd arrived at the glass door that opened to reveal the hall to Yuugi's chambers. 

The two of them rushed inside, closing the door behind them promptly, and tumbled onto Yuugi's mattress in a fit of laughter, Atem falling on top of Yuugi with a bright grin dancing across his features. Yuugi cupped his lover's hand in his cheek, pulling him in for a kiss, and smiling warmly as they parted. "I can't tell you how pleased I am to finally be alone with you," he murmured, only inches from his lips. 

"Me too," Atem purred, pressing his lips against Yuugi's jawline and along his neck, kissing and nipping at smooth skin, "I've been aching to be alone with you for most of our trip. Do you know what I want, Yuugi?"

"I do," He whispered low in his throat, "but I want to hear you say it."

"I want to have you," he whispered, "I can't stand waiting any longer."

The prince grasped Atem's hips, and shifted their weight, rolling on top of his lover and grinning down at him, mirth narrowing his glimmering violet eyes. "Then let me take care of everything," he whispered against Atem's ear, nipping the shell of it. 

With a snap of his fingers, the blinds were drawn, the door locked, and the candles of Yuugi's bedroom lit. "No one will be interrupting us this time," a promise that the prince would honor, no matter the consequence it bore.

Buttons came undone, articles of clothing abandoned, and silks discarded until the two of them were left exposed, not a thread of fabric in between them to be spoken of. Atem was sprawled beneath the prince, his bronze skin bare except for the jewelry placed flush against his skin which Yuugi envied for much of the trip they spent together.

He unlatched the necklace he bought for Atem that covered his throat to kiss and nip and bite at the newly exposed skin, sucking marks into it and appreciating every gasp and shudder he could draw from Atem as he went on. The pattern continued on, with the demon prince removing last piece of jewelry and then lavishing attention on every inch of him that he revealed. Gems, bracelets, and rings had all been stripped away until he had moved so far down Atem's body that he slid off the bed to kneel before him so that he might remove the gold cuffs that curled around Atem's ankles.

As Yuugi knelt before his lover, he watched his legs tremble as his hands ran between the apex of his thighs, and a grin rose on his lips seeing just how excited his lover had become. The depths of his cerise eyes, although now half-lidded, pleaded for him to do more, to finally, finally please Atem in the ways he'd been aching to be pleased for the past month and to indulge his imprint. The prince, however, was enjoying himself too much to allow this foreplay to end so soon.

"Oh, Atem," Yuugi purred from between Atem's thighs, his hot breath ghosting over Atem's arousal that had already begun to leak precum, "you look like you want something. Care to tell me what?"

"Please," Atem begged, his voice high and airy, "Yuugi, please, touch me."

"Touch you? Touch you where my darling?" Yuugi teased, and he could see frustration coiling in Atem, growing dangerously tight, "touch you how?"

That patience broke, and Atem grabbed a fistful of Yuugi's tight curls and pulled his head down to meet his cock. The prince could only grin before soon, his tongue darted out past his lips and ran up the smooth length of his lover's cock, much to his partner's relief. 

Yuugi took the head into his mouth and began to suck and was delighted with the cries he was able to pull from Atem's parted lips. He shivered beneath his touch, and his hips bucked, thrusting deeper into the prince's mouth. 

Although a bit overwhelming at first, Yuugi wasn't one to resist a challenge, and relaxed to take Atem deeper into his mouth. Atem was nearly screaming with pleasure by the time Yuugi's mouth left him for air, gasping softly. Atem was transfixed, the imprint likely intensifying the experience, a fire thrumming in Atem's veins, demanding more.

But Yuugi would have to take pause and deny his lover for a moment longer to retrieve another gift he'd bought on their travels. Atem complained at the absence of Yuugi's warm mouth, but fortunately, it took no more than a minute for Yuugi to find what it was he needed to continue. 

Yuugi pressed Atem back to lie down and hovered over him, unveiling the crystal vial from his hands. He removed the cap and poured a shimmering liquid across his fingers and into his palm. He pressed one finger inside of his lover with little ceremony and began to stretch him.

Atem latched onto Yuugi, hands on his shoulders as he cried out. There was very little concern in Yuugi's head about his more delicate partner being in pain, but rather, the pleasure he would be susceptible to, considering the effects of Ryou's selection. He pressed in a second finger, fluttering them inside of his partner for a moment, "how does this feel, my prince?"

Atem barely had the capacity to speak and trembled beneath Yuugi's administrations. "It's perfect," he cried out, "Gods, don't stop!"

Yuugi was happy to obey, and moved lower to rest between his lover's thighs and wrapping his free hand around the base of Atem's cock, and splayed his pillowy lips around the head of his shaft. The prince glanced up and watched as Atem's back arched, and he grasped the silken sheets beneath him, writhing in ecstasy beneath his intimate touch.

Atem repeated his name like a prayer, a whisper on his lips faster and faster until any coherent speech died out into wordless cries of pleasure. Yuugi just barely managed to press a fourth finger inside of Atem and dared to jab the longest of them up into the tender bundle of nerves that would surely have him seeing stars.

Atem grasped Yuugi's thick curls tighter and pulled them like reigns to press deeper into Yuugi's mouth and screamed in sublime ecstasy as his first orgasm wracked his body. "Yuugi!" Atem cried out to him as Yuugi nearly gagged trying to swallow around him.

Yuugi pulled off of Atem once his lover's orgasm subsided, gasping softly for air, and wiping the corners of his mouth. A grin spread over the prince's lips as he looked up to his lover, seeing him pressed into the sheets, his chest heaving with heavy breath. Pleased with the glorious sight of his lover relaxed in his afterglow, Yuugi climbed up from his position between Atem's thighs to lay beside him.

"My dear, you look exhausted," Yuugi purred, pressing a kiss to his temple.

"And you're beaming," a lazy smile of satisfaction curled the edges of his lips as he said so, opening an eye to glance at his lover, "I'm not done, yet. I want you, more of you."

Atem's hands trailed over Yuugi's shoulders, past constellations of freckles and markings that spiraled down his arms, tender and sensuous. Yuugi couldn't help but shudder beneath it now when Atem wanted him so intimately. 

"Is that right?" Yuugi whispered, his lips brushing against Atem's lightly as he spoke, his breath tickling against his lover's skin. 

"I don't know what you've done to me," Atem laughed, "but keep going."

Atem's hands continued to travel further down Yuugi's body as they kissed, eyes shut as his lover's fingers trailed down his chest, his abdomen, and his hips. A low groan of pleasure bubbled up from Yuugi's diaphragm as his lover's hands traced up from the base of his cock, but Atem soon withdrew his touch and parted from him in shock. 

"Your-" Atem began, eyes wide as he stared at Yuugi's arousal, "what's... what's wrong with it?"

Yuugi couldn't comprehend what Atem had been so startled with. There was nothing wrong with him, and he confirmed it with a glance before returning his gaze to Atem. "What? What do you mean? There's nothing wrong with me."

"The _bumps_ ," Atem elaborated, dumbfounded.

 _Oh._ Yuugi briefly recalled that his lover was not equipped in the same ways as he was, with the ribbing that ran up his shaft, and did with most breeds of demons as far as he knew. "That's just how it is- I promise. I'm entirely healthy. Demons are just a bit different physically... Like how I have horns, and a tail," Yuugi tried to reason with Atem as he still stared in shock.

Atem nodded, seemingly placated despite the shock that played over his face. "Oh," he said softly, relaxing once more and sinking into the sheets.

"The ridges... serve to make sex even more pleasurable for our lovers," Yuugi explained, lowering down into their previous position, wrapping his arms around Atem's waist. 

"Really?" Atem asked, a smirk returning to his lips, "I guess I'll have to be the judge of that. Please, keep going." 

Yuugi didn't need any more encouragement than that, and he lifted Atem's hips, propping them up with a cushion, and slathering more of the aphrodisiac along his cock, hissing softly at the pleasure that coursed through him from that alone. He lined himself up with Atem's entrance before pausing briefly. "Are you ready?" Yuugi whispered against the shell of Atem's ear.

"Yes, gods, Yuugi please," he begged.

Yuugi pressed inside his lover, his breath heavy as he could feel every ridge slowly being engulfed into Atem's heat until he was buried in to the hilt. He cupped the back of Atem's neck in his hand and pressed his lips against his. 

"Yuugi," Atem groaned, begging between kisses, "move, now."

And so he did. Yuugi pulled out nearly all the way before thrusting back in, to which his lover's grip on his tightened, scratching along his back as he continued and settled into a more fluid pace. Again and again and again while Atem filled the room with sharp cries and sweet shouts of pleasure, hugging Yuugi tight to his chest.

Despite the preparation Yuugi had put Atem through, he still gripped him like a vice and clenched around him impossibly tighter when he thrust into him and fully sheathed his cock in Atem's velvet heat. He could feel ecstasy boiling inside of him, the mixture of Atem's imprint, the aphrodisiac, and the long month of waiting, waiting, waiting for Atem's reciprocation as well as the opportunity, it all came to its apex, coiling tight inside of him and lingering on the edge of shattering.

"Oh gods," Atem gasped, "I'm already close again. Please, Yuugi, finish with me,"

Yuugi was powerless to resist the sweet sound of Atem's begging, and he slammed his hips into his lover once more before the two of the tipped over the edge, dissolving into pure bliss.

The two of them smiled at each other as the intensity of the moment passed, kissing and exchanging breathless laughter.

"Atem," Yuugi whispered into his lover's ear, "I love you."

"I love you, too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter may be missing some polish. Sorry! I haven't edited yet, but it feels like it's been forever since I've posted for this!


	11. Sentenced

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey, remember last chapter when everything was fun and steamy and Atem and Yuugi were loving on each other?
> 
> Might want to read that one again instead...

The dawn spilled over the horizon in a dazzling display of color, candied reds and rosy hues chased away the starry night of yesterday, and puffs of clouds feathered the sky. In the bleary morning, Atem laid at Yuugi's side just barely awake, unaware of the hour, the day, or anything aside from the prince's arms wrapped around him and the image of the past night dancing within his memories. Nothing of the warmth in Yuugi's embrace nor the sweet softness of sleep could have warned him for what awaited, none of the warning signs could have found him here.

No word of the suspicions brewing between his mother country and his new home had met Atem's round ears. No troubles of diplomacy had graced his line of sight. Not a thread of doubt had laced itself into the lull of the human prince's security. After all, Atem's very presence as Yuugi's lover was a testament to the peace preserved between Khemet and the Penumbral territories. His father had sacrificed him to be sure of it.

So in Atem's early morning daze, he couldn't comprehend the attendant in Yuugi's room, so rudely interrupting them at this hour, bothering the two of them while the sun had yet to fully rise over the horizon and bring day to this part of the country. 

"Your Highness," the attendance spoke in a hushed whisper, her fingers grasping the prince's bare shoulder, "please wake up. The king demands your audience within the throne room. It's urgent."

Slow and sure, the warmth of his lover's form rose out of his arms into an upright sitting position, and without registering any need for concern on his part, Atem couldn't help but notice a lack of reaction from the attendant over his prince's lack of sleeping clothes. He could only hope it wasn't habitual for attendants to find the prince compromised in this way, as that would indubitably be cause for greater concern than he currently expressed. 

But despite Atem's lack of attention on the current situation, Yuugi rose out of bed and quickly donned his clothing, a storm of fabric before his eyes as he rushed to make himself decent. 

"What's happening?" Atem murmured, rubbing the sleep from his eyes as the urgency finally registered seeing his lover in such a rush. 

"Nothing good. You ought to get dressed, too, in case it demands your presence," Yuugi insisted, his voice raspy from his long slumber that he still fought to shake off. 

"Why would it demand me?" Atem asked, rising to sit now, his attention captured.

"There's been trouble brewing in Khemet from what little I've heard. I didn't dare to think the worst, but it might be time to prepare," his lover's brows knit together, and a frown thinned his heart-shaped lips. Before Atem had the chance to speak, Yuugi's mouth had met his own, and just as quickly he'd parted from him.

"I promise to tell you everything once I return," he whispered against Atem's lips in hushed urgency, "I love you, Atem."

And with unparalleled swiftness, the morning had stolen his prince away from Atem and left more questions in his absence than there were answers for. Out of the loop and in the dark, he was back to where he started. Quiet blanketed the room, and Atem was left to dress himself alone and wait in silence.

***

Yuugi's head swam, floating adrift in an endless sea of darkest possibilities. He knew that no good could be born from an impromptu meeting called at this early hour, and he knew all too well that his grandfather had been hiding the war that had been brewing without any official acknowledgment or statement. Solomon had hosted the kingdom tour as an indulgent celebration to conceal the truth from the vast majority of his people and whispered the unsightly truth of their foreign relationships to a select few. What Yuugi couldn't bear was that his own name didn't fall amongst that short list. 

He didn't want to imagine what that must've meant for him. He wanted to know what it meant for Atem even less.

The prince pushed open the heavy doors and entered his grandfather's throne room where the court had gathered, clothing disheveled, and their once perfect appearances rushed and unsightly- aside from that of Solomon and his regent, Pegasus. A sickening silence enshrouded the room, and the slam of the door behind Yuugi interrupted it enough for the bleary eyes of the court to fall upon the crown prince.

Solomon then opened his mouth to garner the court's attention, the words they'd been waiting to hear finally escaped into the open air. "Tensions between our own kingdom and Khemet, as I have said before to a lesser extent, have risen in recent years. We had taken steps to counteract such blatant disrespect to our old treaties and agreements, and it had little impact on our dealings previously, however... The human kingdoms have done something truly unforgivable."

"This morning, on the outskirts of one of the villages on the borders of Khemet, two of our own had been found murdered, undoubtedly by humans. We had high hopes that the humans had regretted their former transgressions, which with their most recent offering of Aknamkanon's only son, they understood their shortcomings and sought to amend them in the following seasons. However, it is blatantly obvious that their latest offering only showcases their total disregard for life."

Yuugi could hardly believe such a thing had genuinely taken place. There had never been an event recorded during their peacetime aside from the offerings that chronicled humans crossing the borders into demonic territories, not that he'd known of. Even in times of war, most battles were fought on human lands due to the perilous journey it was to cross from Khemetic kingdoms into even sparsely populated regions of his home. Now, he was to believe that humans had, without provocation, stolen onto their land and taken the lives of their people? It was unheard of.

"And thus we've begun preparations for war. No longer can we allow the disease of Aknamkanon's court to fester. Throughout our most recent travels across the different sections of our nation, we have set the preparations into place should they be necessary, and now, Aknamkanon and his peoples have proved that they are exactly that. By the end of the week, we will be prepared to begin our first attack. With some luck, there should be some noble family left in the stead of Aknamkanon's court that we might coerce into fulfilling the role of pharaoh. For now, however, we can not anticipate the future until our adversaries have learned from their past that they have so easily forgotten."

Yuugi stood in astonishment, and while he understood the incredible weight within his grandfather's words, he couldn't begin to process the reality that he would soon witness the carnage he had only heard of in his boyhood history lessons. Questions he couldn't bring himself to voice drowned out most of his rational thought, but one bothered him enough to force himself to interrupt.

"While the severity of Khemet's crimes is unquestionable, your majesty," Yuugi spoke clearly even over the tension that smothered the room, "there is something I don't quite understand. How was a human able to both enter our territory, and cause damage enough to kill not one, but two of our own  
people? Even should they have the advantage of stealth, a human should have difficulty overpowering even a child with magical capabilities." 

The eyes of the court bore into him, but it was his grandfather, the king's gaze that burned into him. "You bring up an excellent point, and in another circumstance, you'd be right to say so. However, the horrors that Aknamkanon's court has committed in recent times don't fall only on our own soil." Solomon's brow furrowed, and his gaze fell.

"What I have yet to share with you, was that the humans of Khemet have begun to wield magic."

Hushed whispers fell over the court, this new information making the unease of the room near tangible. Yuugi didn't need to ask his next question, as it was the one that settled into the front of everyone in earshot's mind; how could they possibly wield magic? 

Yuugi had known of priests, their prayers and blessings, and the rumors of the power of their gods, but never had they aimed such a power at them even in past conflicts. Why now? And how?

"As you all know, humans are incapable of harnessing internal energy as far as we've seen. Any magic at all from their culture arises from rituals and invoking magic from another source. This time, it was the sacrifice of ninety-nine souls, of their own people into magical weapons. I would imagine these... things are only in the hands of Aknamkanon's court, but it would be unwise to make any assumptions to the extent of this awful power."

Only a few moons had passed since the humans last offering. So much hope had come from the Pharaoh of Khemet offering up his only son as a sign of peace, a sign of trust between humans and demons, an act of mercy in return as they treated Atem as one of their own. Now, however, Yuugi could see the event for what it was, a sacrifice of blood to gain what they desired. Their tally of disregard for the life of their own wasn't ninety-nine, but one-hundred, with the blood of their prince to tip the scales.

"Despite this attack without warning on our own peoples, we do not need to stoop down to their dishonorable behavior. In addition to preparing an attack, there has been thought put into a formal declaration of war," Solomon continued on, "we will be returning their offering to them, in the same condition that they left the innocents they had encountered on the borders of our land."

Time seemed to fold in on itself, slowing, before reaching an abrupt halt in Yuugi's life. He could've accepted war being the price to pay to keep his peoples safe, could've understood the purpose of dismantling Aknamkanon's court and even advocated for the swift arrival of change, but not this. Atem was a victim of Aknamkanon's court, a sacrifice that had been discarded for personal gain without his say. Atem was a piece of his kingdom now every bit as much as he was.

The meeting continued despite Yuugi's stunned silence. Eventually, the court was dismissed, and no one had mentioned any protests against slaughtering his lover. Would he have done the same if he hadn't known Atem as he had?

As the others began to clear the room, Yuugi grasped onto Solomon's arm. "Grandfather, wait," He finally spoke again, anger welling up within him, "you can't possibly intend on going through with this, sacrificing the prince?"

Solomon only shook his arm out of Yuugi's grasp, "you must be severely underestimating our circumstances if you think I have any reservations about it, my child."

"I understand why we need to go to war, but it would be senseless to kill him- he is innocent," Yuugi pleaded, "how would we be any different than them, if we kill the innocent just to prove a point? Certainly, there is use for him now more than ever-"

"Yuugi, I've made up my mind-"

"And so have I! I've followed your instruction without failure for most of my life, I lived by your example without question, and now as your own flesh and blood, coming to you in hopes that you could at least think it over before you go through with something that irreversible, you can't spare me a single second of thought? In the not so distant future, I will inherit your kingdom, as well as your decisions that will shape it. All I ask for is a little more time so that I may present you with a different solution, so that we may spare as much suffering as possible."

"Time is a precious commodity, Yuugi, and shall I grant you more, Khemet may grow even bolder in their depravity. But as long ago as it was, I, too, still know the pains of love and loss. I will allow you one more week with him to say your goodbyes, and then I promise his death will be swift and without suffering. This is more mercy than our enemies would ever spare for us."

It hardly seemed like much of a consolation. How on earth could he tell Atem?


	12. Belladonna

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you thought that last chapter was bad oh boy are you in for a ride today.
> 
> Also I didn't get to edit yet but it's almost 6000 words and I can not work on it anymore tonight.

Long ago, but not nearly long enough, bitter wars waged between humans and demons, each side equally mortal. Mortals, by nature, were selfish and nearsighted beings who abhorred the mere thought of being wrong, or even more, the idea of some slight deviation in what they thought to be right came as an irredeemable indiscretion. Instead of some semblance of peace or harmony that was meant to be born from acceptance and compromise, the relationship between Khemet's crown and the Penumbral palace had been soaked in bloodshed and tragedy over their wars to prove their spiritual superiority since the beginnings of their recorded history. The demons, in accordance with the tally, were the undefeated champions of this fatal warfare.

And now, a near century after the dust from their last conflict finally seemed to settle and peace achievable, the illusions of diplomacy had shattered with the slaughter of the innocents. It was a dramatic shift, these new, dark powers that Khemet wielded suggesting a monumental twist to their conflicts that were certain to broaden the range of disaster and torment and create a darkness inescapable. The atrocities of war would blanket both kingdoms, and lead them into the oblivion that the humans had so narrowly avoided in the first half of their conflicts.

The realities of the coming war had left Yuugi just as perplexed over the human's motivations as he was livid on the grounds of their actions. He could barely piece together any logical reasoning for the infractions Khemet had inflicted upon his peoples. Whatever thought behind their age-old feuds seemed out of place when considering that the Demonic Kingdoms now cared for their dearest prince, the crown jewel of Aknamkanon's royal bloodline. How could someone, even one as corrupt as he now understood his neighboring adversary to be, betray the bonds of blood for such selfish gain? 

Perhaps Yuugi had no room to speak on the matter, considering the betrayal from his own family that had just fallen upon his regal shoulders, leaving him reeling. Was a shared bloodline with the king, an absolute devotion to the crown, or the expectation that rested upon his shoulders to one day bear its weight, not enough to preserve the treasure most precious to his heart? Hatred had blinded his grandfather to search for a humane solution, but once the wages of war had begun, there would be no end in sight until what had been lost would never be recovered. 

Yuugi couldn't imagine what differences between the two separate cultures could inspire malice capable of such destruction. The written histories described it as envy, speculated it as disbelief, as a fear in the power that was gifted to the majority of his peoples and cultivated since birth, as well as the capabilities of it. All of this, the prince could understand. He could comprehend the desire to keep far away from what made them so afraid or to know what it was to covet the abilities of another. What he could never begin to piece together was the urge to inflict pain on another living being out of contempt.

While the scale of the upcoming war and the devastation that would come from it should have been what made Yuugi despair, his focus stayed with the love that he would lose instead. Guilt weighed down his already heavy heart, and he could hardly bear the thought of telling Atem of his gruesome fate, to allow him to hear of the decision the court had made on the matters of his life. Most of all, Yuugi couldn't stand the thought of telling him that even with his royal blood, he couldn't have prevented such a ruling. What was the point in baring the title of princehood if he couldn't protect what he loved?

It was too late now to consider it any longer or to continue to wallow in his miseries. Atem deserved to know the unsavory truth of his new fate, and as much as Yuugi had every intention of preventing it, he couldn't possibly keep him in the dark. He wouldn't let anyone else break such awful news to his lover, wouldn't let it come to him in any other way than from his lips, the truth in all its gruesome entirety. After all, he'd have wanted the same decency if he were to stand in Atem's shoes.

As he walked the floors of the palace in hopes of finding his lover still waiting for him in the comforts of his room, it seemed as if the halls were longer than they'd once been, stretching on and prolonging his suffering. Knowing he'd soon be the one to deliver Atem his death sentence was a fate crueler than he ever could've imagined, especially now, as his heart churned in turmoil. However, as he finally turned the golden handle to the door of his bedroom, opening it to see his lover anxiously awaiting his return as well as to hear the news that came from this sudden call to gather, Yuugi's heart seemed to fill with lead and sink through the marble floor.

"Yuugi," Atem called out to him, his eyes searching for answers in the prince's solemn expression, his hand reaching out to hold Yuugi's within his own, "what's going on? What happened, what's been said?"

Yuugi clutched Atem's palm in his own, squeezing it tightly before he sank down to sit beside his lover. How could he possibly find the strength to tell Atem the tragedy that had broken his heart only a moment ago? Nevertheless, he would be strong for his dearest in what little time they had left together. He looked deep into his lover's rose-colored stare and persisted as best he possibly could.

"Atem..." he said, his voice soft, "last night, two demon civilians were discovered dead in a border town. They were murdered, by humans. In a week, our... the nation officially be at war with Khemet."

His lover's eyes were wide and wet, while he shook his head in disbelief. "No, no... that's not possible," he whispered.

"It is, and it happened. The royal court has begun wielding dark magics that even I wouldn't dare to touch," Yuugi said in a hushed somberness, "and it's because of this that..."

Yuugi choked on his words and trapped him in a tense pause. How could he tell this to his partner? His most beloved treasure, the one who'd grown to mean so much to him in such a short time? How could he possibly acknowledge it with words, the mere thought of losing Atem?

"Yuugi, what? Because of this, what?" Atem asked, leaning in closer, clutching tight to Yuugi's soft hand.

"Because of this, my grandfather plans to kill you... as a formal declaration of war."

Yuugi's eyes began to water in saying it, but he quickly blinked away his tears, determined to be strong in the short time he had left with Atem.

"No," Atem's voice was so low, hardly a whisper as he looked down at his and Yuugi's linked hands, "this can't be, I... Yuugi, I'm not ready to die."

"I know," Yuugi said, his voice sounding raw and unused as he tried to give Atem the apology he deserved, "and I'm not ready to let you go. I've tried to talk them out of this, but they've only given me a week more with you, before they want to go through with it. I'll find a way to save you, Atem. I swear, I..."

But Atem stopped him, placing his hand on Yuugi's cheek and looking into his eyes. "But if the week passes, and you haven't found a way,"

"Atem, please don't think about that yet-"

"-I want you to be the one to do it." Atem's voice, despite its wavering, held such conviction. 

Yuugi was stunned into silence, absolute sick at the thought of not only being unable to save his lover but that he should be the one to bring his life to an untimely end. A tear slipped past his eyelids before he could bat it away, and he was tempted to cry. 

"Please, Yuugi. You're the only one I trust to do it humanely, to do it with mercy," Atem begged of him. "I've had to think of all this before, Yuugi, of being slaughtered here. It was all I could think of after my father made me his offering. I want to be at peace in my last moments, I want for you holding me in your arms to be my final memory. If you can't save me from death, I'd much rather you save me from a cruel end. Please, don't let me die alone."

Yuugi's heart ached for Atem, who within the span of a few moments came to accept the idea of dying to start a war and the knowledge that he'd had to accept it long before this dark hour fell upon them. Ever so delicately, Yuugi cupped Atem's hand to his cheek, making sure to hold it in place. "Atem, you are my dearest treasure, the sweetest love I have ever known. I will make certain that from now until your dying breath, whether it be in a week or decades from now, you will never truly be alone so long as I'm alive."

Atem's lower lip began to tremble before he pressed his face into Yuugi's shoulder. As the prince felt his lover's hot tears against the nape of his neck, he wrapped his arms tightly around Atem's waist and let him sob into his collar. "I am so sorry Atem," Yuugi whispered as he pressed his nose into Atem's thick black hair, "I am so, so sorry,"

"Why did it have to be like this? Why now?" his lover wept, "You had finally made this place my home, Yuugi. I loved it, and I loved you so deeply, you made me forget our past. I wanted to live a life with you at my side."

Yuugi could only hold him tight as he cried, running his fingers through his hair. His prince should never have to put his finger on such pain or devastation, and it hurt even worse to know there was little more to spare him from this grief. 

He'd never held Atem in such a way that broke his heart before. It was always with love and kindness before now. When he'd held Atem in his arms in his bed, on the long caravan rides through the countryside, and in the afterglow of their lovemaking, he only thought of the bright future that lay on the horizon for them to grasp. He'd dreamed of their marriage, of the peace that it would represent between their two kingdoms, of an end to the hostility that plagued the past. Now, however, those same hostilities came to haunt him, to destroy the life he wanted to build with Atem, and his lover wept in his arms over the way his life would soon end. 

Yuugi was a prince, even if it was in name alone, and he would fight to secure Atem's happiness in what little time they had left together. 

Yuugi ran his fingers through Atem's dark hair before he leaned back to look into Atem's eyes. He rolled away Atem's tears with the flat of his thumb. With perfect seriousness, he spoke a grave two words. "Marry me."

Atem's tears subsided, searching Yuugi's eyes for any trace of insincerity. "You can't mean that. There's not nearly enough time for such a thing, and besides," he trailed, his voice even softer than before, "you can't marry me knowing I could die in a matter of days."

"That's all the more reason to do it, my love," Yuugi whispered against Atem's ear, solemn in his vows. "I'm going to fight this with all my strength, but if this time next week is our final moment together, I want you to know I will commit all of myself to you, body and soul. For the rest of my life, there's no one else I could be with after knowing your love." 

Atem choked back a sob as he nodded in agreement to Yuugi's proposal. The prince lifted up his lover's hand to meet his lips, placing a chaste kiss on his knuckles, a bittersweet taste in his mouth. How he wished they could've done this sooner, to bare their hearts to one another without the elaborate games they played in pretend to ignore their feelings and save pride. Or even more, he wished they could do this later, to become better versed in the steps of the intricate dance they wove together, to memorize every part of Atem's precious heart. He desired another lifetime in which every element of their love and life together wasn't dictated by the tension between two kingdoms that had betrayed them both.

"Tomorrow before sunset, we'll meet in the gardens, and I'll promise myself to you for all eternity," Yuugi vowed, "for as long as you live, Atem, I swear that you'll never have to doubt my love for you."

"Yuugi," the prince's name was soft on Atem's lips, his eyes watery, but without any ceremony, he pressed his mouth against Yuugi's.

The two of them dissolved into the warmth of it in contrast with the world around them. Atem's hands slipped into Yuugi's hair, grasping onto it, his fingers twisting into tight coils as if the world were to fall to pieces should he have let go. Yuugi worried that it might've already begun.

***

The palace was hushed, each and every one of its inhabitants more than well aware of how their crown prince had been scorned, his lover placed on death row. Yuugi had grown much quieter, too, the brilliant jewel of their kingdom who seemed to radiate the warmth and light of their summer sun sobered up, casting glances that could've stopped their pulses if he'd so chosen. Fortunately, Yuugi was too kind, even within his current state of fresh betrayal, and at the hands of his grandfather, no less.

The prince couldn't allow himself to stoop so low as to burn himself down to cinders over the insignificant members of the King's court. Not on today of all days, when he was to pledge his heart to his dearest love and meet him in the ceremonies of marriage. Perhaps it was only the one ceremony, however, but the act of the vows was the only one that had mattered to Yuugi. He had relished in the luxury to be able to express his affection through the grand and material means during the tour when their situation was so much simpler. Now, however, Yuugi would offer himself for Atem to add to his collection of riches, to bring him happiness until the end of days.

Escaping the stares of servants and court members alike, Yuugi slipped into his room, alone, to don his most formal attire. He pressed golden broaches onto his chest and secured jewels along his long ears. He looked exactly as he did on the day that Atem had first met him, wearing the same attire as he had on the day of their feast. On the surface, nothing had changed, but beneath his smooth skin and wild hair, he couldn't recognize himself as the person he'd been then. He wasn't sure if he was the same person now as he was just a few days prior.

None of it mattered anymore, however. If Yuugi could be someone that could make the last week of Atem's life one worth living, then that would be enough. To be someone who could make sure his lover's last breath didn't come for decades beyond today would be ideal. 

Once Yuugi had finished his preening, he left to meet Atem in his gardens. The sky had just begun to darken, the vibrant flowers soaking up the rosy rays of twilight and casting long shadows over the ground. He smiled fondly as he waited, recalling easier times he shared with Atem here, the games of Mehen Atem had so rarely won, the tension the imprint had left between them, and how badly he'd wanted to kiss him then. How fortunate he'd been to be able to indulge in such a tender wish. 

It wasn't long, however, before he'd heard the door to the garden shift, meeting his lover's eyes. How radiant he was, dressed in long flowing fabric, decorated in jewels from his kingdom, and the veil that he'd gifted him upon their visit to the city of Lyra crowned his head, a soft blue hue obscuring his lovely features. A coy smile upturned the corners of his lips as he met Yuugi beneath the gardens rotunda where blossoms curled around its tall columns.

"I hope I haven't kept you waiting," Atem said, tucking hair behind his ear underneath his veil, "it'd be a terrible shame if I showed up late to my own wedding, you know..."

Yuugi smiled back at him, flashing white teeth as he took Atem's hands in his own. "It would be. I think I'd cry if you left me all alone on the altar," he laughed, "but considering our officiator hasn't arrived yet, you're perfectly on time."

"We have an officiator? Who?" Atem asked, his brow just slightly furrowed in thought.

As if to answer the question, a figure came stumbling into the garden as he attempted to race in, realizing the prince and his consort were already gathered underneath the altar. "Sorry, sorry, didn't plan on being late for the world but, you know, before sundown isn't very specific," Joey apologized as he stepped up to take his place underneath the rotunda. 

Atem smiled, "Joseph? You're officiating my wedding?"

"That's right, I would've preferred to be best man, but," he flashed a roguish grin to the two, "I think this is probably more important right now."

"Now, I know you two want to get on with your honeymoon, so let's skip the small talk for tonight," Joey said in all seriousness.

Atem nodded, his smile thinning into a flat line, his grip tightening on Yuugi's hands as Jou began.

"The two of you have seen many challenges to be here together today. From two very different places and walks of life, your union represents something bigger than any one person, but the strength of love in the face of a challenge, or, uh, maybe more than a few in your case."

"Either way, this ceremony we gather here today for is one that shows your commitment to each other, and seeks to affirm the promise you make to each other, now and forever."

It was all true to he and Atem's circumstance, and more profound than Yuugi had expected from his friend on such short notice. He squeezed Atem's hand as Jou took a pause for breath before looking squarely into Yuugi's eyes.

"Through times of joy and sorrow, of mistakes and forgiveness, of all that is to come, do you, Your Highness Yuugi Mutou of the Penumbral crown, take Atem to be your lawfully wedded partner for all eternity?"

Yuugi nodded solemnly, before uttering, "I do."

"And do you, Your Highness, Prince Atem of Upper and Lower Khemet, take Yuugi to be your lawfully wedded partner for all eternity?"

"I do," Atem breathed out without a second's hesitation.

"Then, by the powers vested in me, by Yuugi, I now declare you officially married. You may now kiss the official prince-consort."

With a delicate hand, Yuugi lifted Atem's veil to reveal his perfect features, his straight nose, his full lips, and his rose-colored eyes shimmering with unshed tears. Those beautiful eyes that so often left him transfixed, now seemed doubly as radiant within this moment, as if the were rubies that reflected only the tenderness of such a moment and none of its tragedies. Yuugi wasted no more time in hesitation, and pressed his mouth to Atem's, the soft brush of their lips tender and warm as they held each other close. 

Joey had stolen a bottle of spirits from the kitchen for the occasion, and it became a night more joyous than Yuugi had previously thought possible, considering the circumstances that had spurred it on. He and Atem kissed as the sun dipped low on the horizon, the taste of wine still light on his lover's lips as the two laughed and cherished the moment together. Joey teased the two of them, and spoke of the early forming of the prince's infatuation with Atem, how sentimental he had been all throughout the week of his arrival, and only grew worse with each passing day after. It was never what Yuugi had expected of his wedding, so small and secret and private, but he didn't need anything more than Atem at his side to make it perfect.

As the last rays of twilight burned the edges of the sky, Joey wished the newlyweds goodnight and disappeared into the castle, leaving the two of them alone together. Some of the lightheartednesses of the evening faded with the sunlight and the parting with their company, but Yuugi wouldn't dare allow any somberness trespass into their sacred union, not when there were so few guaranteed moments left that the two of them could share together. He placed one hand on Atem's shoulder, and the other gripped his side, pulling him in against his chest and beginning to sway gently.

Yuugi stepped to the side, gently guiding Atem to follow. A soft pull left and right, back and forth with careful steps gave way to Yuugi taking Atem's hands and twirling him around, the long white fabrics he wore catching starlight in all of its divine splendor beneath the dark cathedral of the heavens. He was a vision to behold, one no mortal eyes deserved to see, and yet Yuugi brought him to laugh, stealing a sound sweeter than the chime of bells from his lover's throat. As he fell back into his arms and pressed his nose into the crook of his neck, Yuugi held him close and relished in the feeling. 

"Yuugi," Atem breathed against his neck, the soft whisper tickling his exposed skin, "I love you."

Yuugi's heart swelled with the confession. Never had Atem been the one to say it first in the handful of times they'd said it back to one another. "I love you too, Atem," the prince whispered against his ear before pressing a kiss to his temple, "so, so much."

"Yuugi," Atem said before parting just far enough to look into his lover's eyes. A pause fell between them, but not one of tension, only comfortable silence. "Let's go to bed. I think I'm getting a little tired..."

"Of course," Yuugi agreed with a warm smile poised on his lips. He let go of Atem's hand and instead scooped his darling up into his arms with some effort, to which he squealed with laughter and wrapped his arms around Yuugi's neck, the prince carrying him off so they might curl up together and cuddle until the morning sun dawned upon them. He would enjoy nothing more.

***

The two of them lay down together beneath satin sheets, having shed their extravagant clothing from Atem's veil to Yuugi's heeled boots to everything in between, finding comfort in each other's arms. A soft sigh passed Yuugi's lips as his lover's arms curled around his neck, the gesture warm and affectionate as Atem pulled him in closer, pressing lazy kisses to his lips before parting to meet his eyes. Yuugi hadn't been expecting the moment to be interrupted by words, and he'd hoped against all hope that it wouldn't be the words that came from his lover's sweet mouth.

"Why did it have to be now?" Atem lamented, his gaze flitting away from Yuugi's, looking up at the ceiling instead. "Why couldn't it have been before you gave me a life I wanted to live? Or," Atem laughed sadly, "or after we'd lived a thousand lifetimes together, and there was nothing left undone or unsaid?"

"Atem, please," Yuugi whispered, grasping Atem's hand and pressing it to his lips, "don't say that- I'm going to make sure we finish this lifetime together, no matter what that means. I won't let them take you from me, from our home like that. You deserve so much more, and I'm going to give it to you."

Atem only turned his head to look at him, a solemn smile on his lips as he met his lover's eyes. "I know you'll do everything you can, my love. But I know, that even with the strength and kindness of your heart, it will never stop the war between our kingdoms."

Atem's gaze shifted back to the ceiling. "I want to thank you anyway. When I was chosen to be Khemet's offering for the year, my own peoples turned their backs on me. Even the closest of friends I'd made in the court grew distant from me, refused to speak to me as the once had as if to save themselves from what pain would come in losing their prized possession. You, I think, are the truest friend I've ever had, to not abandon me now despite how much this must hurt you. You've given your heart to a man on death row, and not once do you let me feel the sorrow that comes with parting, but only the joys that came from being together."

When Atem's eyes met with Yuugi's once more, a tear streaked down his high cheekbone, his smile trembling. "I can only hope, that if I should make it to the next life, the feeling of knowing your perfect love might follow me there."

Yuugi leaned in to kiss away his tears, "my prince, there's only one thing I ask of you in return for my love. Never lose faith in me, never lose faith that I will keep you alive through whatever may come."

Atem grasped him tightly and pressed himself into Yuugi, his lips crashing against Yuugi's, his mouth full of warmth a sweetness that melted his heart, and the tears he'd been holding back began to come down, intermingling with that of Atem's on salty cheeks. Heat washed over the two of them, and soon enough their kisses had escalated into wandering hands while the passion of their new union scorched into a fever pitch. It was desperate, needing, clinging to the feeling of touch that could soon be forever gone between the two of them. 

Yuugi found his place between Atem's thighs naturally, and the pace between them picked up. He smeared the aphrodisiac between Atem's legs and worked it inside of him, no pause or hesitation stopping the rhythm of their desire anymore. There was no time left in being bashful when they'd come to realize exactly what they'd wanted of each other. They'd wanted a forever filled with the love and compassion that filled the past few months, but for now, they could only settle for the fire in their touch, indulging in the sacred blisses of their union.

The two of them caught fire, pleasure searing through them as the pace became more fluid, and Yuugi's eyes shut tight as he kissed Atem without restraint. Atem needed to know exactly what he meant to him, and Yuugi needed to feel his presence surrounding him to know he was still his. This had seemed like the best way to do it.

When the prince had opened his eyes, however, he found tears at the corners of his lover's eyes as his fingers tangled into Yuugi's hair. "Don't stop," Atem cried, his voice raw and unused, "please, don't stop!"

Yuugi could never refuse him, especially not now when he would commit to anything in the pursuit of Atem's joy. He cupped Atem's cheek and pulled him in closer, his mouth meeting that of his sweetheart's once more, and in the place of force he met him with tenderness, his kisses worship against Atem's lips. His palm wrapped around Atem's cock and he began to stroke him slowly. It wasn't long after that the two of them reached their completion, and Yuugi hugged his partner closely in his arms.

Atem tucked his head into Yuugi's neck, hiding his damp cheeks against bare skin. He let out a soft sigh in the afterglow and pressed kisses into his skin. "Mm, why don't we do that more?" Atem said softly as if to distract Yuugi from the tears he'd shed during their coupling.

"Probably because we're always getting interrupted," Yuugi said, a soft snort of laughter following.

"There should be some sort of punishment for that," Atem laughed, "pulling the crown prince away from such important affairs."

"Mm, maybe you're right. Or, maybe what we really need is to just get away," Yuugi whispered, running his fingers through his lover's hair. "Go somewhere where no one could bother us... build our own kingdom, with just the two of us."

A pause fell between them, Atem pulling back from the crook of Yuugi's neck to look in his eyes. "You're kidding," he said softly.

"Not really. Why? Don't feel like packing?" Yuugi asked, a smile playing on his lips, "there are places no one would ever find us. I'd rather spend the rest of my life as a fugitive with you, then in this lonely palace as a prince for a day without you."

Atem shook his head. "You can't," he whispered, "if you were to be found, you'd be committed for treason. I couldn't let you give your life for me."

Yuugi ran the flat of his thumb over Atem's lower lips, eyes dark. "It's not my first choice either," he said lowly, "but if the final moment comes upon us, it'll be my last resort. There's no one on this earth who knows nearly as well how to disappear as I do, and I'll take you with me. I'll I need is for you to say yes, and I'll keep you safe for the rest of my life."

Gently, Yuugi took Atem's hand into his own and pressed a kiss onto his wedding band. "Whatever happens, I will be there with you for it all."

Another pause stilled the air, and Yuugi waited for his lover to protest, but was met with a determination in Atem's eyes. "Yes. I trust you to do what's best- but if that means for me to die, I need you to allow it."

"I swear on my life, I will do right by you."

***

Atem had fallen asleep hours ago, but Yuugi was still wide awake in the early hours of the morning, stewing over his options, wondering what last ditch action could possibly grant his dearest love with the justice that this earth had been unwilling to give him. If anyone deserved the chance to live a life unhindered by hatred, it was Atem who'd been willing to die for his people, then and now. How could such a pure heart such as the prince of Khemet's be destined for death?

Perhaps the divine were selfish, and perhaps that was why his perfect prince was always chosen as the sacrificial lamb, meant to be returned to eternity, to light, to the incomprehensible that neither of them knew. That Atem, in all his purity and perfection, was never meant to be tarnished by the hatred and scorn of this mortal plane, tainted with the impurities of pain. Perhaps the higher powers were selfish, and wished for Atem to join them in a realm beyond suffering, and cycle his physical flesh back into stardust.

But Yuugi could be selfish, too. Yuugi, like all who existed on his earth, was mortal and bound to the life that endured on it. The gods could never comprehend the limits of mortality in the way he could, nor what it meant to cherish the good in his world that came so few and far between the impending tragedies and suffering of day to day life. These scarce precious parts of life were ones that Yuugi would fight to preserve and clutch tight to his heart, and Atem rested at the top of the list.

But Atem wasn't a treasure he could lock away from the rest of life or the tragedies that existed within it. He couldn't preserve his noble heart nor his charming heart nor his tenderest affections by trapping him and pinning him to the wall like some glimmering, hard-shelled beetle, translucent wings spread for display. Thus, the only way he could truly keep Atem from harm was to stand at his side, to face all threats with him, and protect him from the slings and arrows that may come until his dying breath, as well as to eliminate the most heinous threats that sought to rip Atem from him. 

From the shelves of his cupboard, Yuugi snatched his quill, a dagger, and the gift Ryou had given him in return for delivering Amir's letters to him, eyeing the bottle with a black, bubbling concoction within it, carefully before setting it down on the desk of his study. 

He could betray himself for Atem.

Yuugi bit down on his lower lips harshly as he took the glinting blade of the dagger and sliced the back of his forearm, collecting his blood for his following spell, letting it drip into a glass dish unceremoniously. He uncapped the potion bottle, and let it spill over his blood, sizzling as it combined.

His conviction was strong enough.

After bandaging his wound, Yuugi began to use the morbid concoction to construct a sigil, each mark careful and full of intent. The act in itself was draining, and he could feel the effort beginning to suck his strength from him, but it would soon prove to be more than worth it once it had taken its desired effect. His energy would return to him within a matter of weeks, but he only had one chance to restore his lover's chance at life. This would be enough, he had no room for error.

Enough to kill a king.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who's supported this work so far! It's been really uplifting reading so many sweet comments and knowing this story could bring as much joy to someone else as it brings to me. Stay tuned, there's still much to come!


	13. Royal Blood Spilled

With careful hands and a shaky heart, Yuugi pulled Atem's new set of fabrics tight around his waist. He insisted the royal seamstresses procure a new outfit more ravishing than any other that hung within Atem's closet or sat neatly folded in his wardrobe. If this were to be his sweetest lover's last day with him in this life, he desired for it to be the most beautiful yet, full of surprise until the very last breath. 

He hated considering it, that even after putting forth every effort to the point that every inch of muscle in his body ached, his sinew screaming for rest, that he couldn't be sure his energies spared more time for his love. There was nothing more he could do in the restraint of this dark hour, no more possibilities of changing the cruel and unrelenting course of fate. With his mana so depleted in his valiant efforts to preserve the precious light in his life, he couldn't imagine the strain of attempting to disappear as far into the depths of his kingdom as he'd need to properly hide himself, as well as Atem, away. There was no more running, no cowering from the consequence, and should it come down to it; he would give Atem the death he'd asked him for.

The thought made his hands tremble, and Atem's necklace slipped out of his hands as he attempted to secure its clasp. A curse slipped past his lips beneath his breath, but Atem caught the strands of gold in his palm and handed it back to him with a small, warm smile. 

"Thank you," he whispered, his eyes not reaching Yuugi's gaze, "for everything."

Yuugi snorted softly, a puff of air through his nose. "I think you should wait to thank me after I manage to get this necklace in place. At this rate, I'm not sure it'll ever end up on you..." he tried to make a joke of the situation, but his hands were beginning to quiver to the point it was a miracle that he was able to secure the jewelry onto the bronze column of Atem's throat. The earrings, however, Yuugi cut his losses and allowed Atem to equip them himself. Once everything had sat perfectly in place upon Atem's physique, shimmering in gems that reflected the morning light and thin materials that fluttered against his skin, he turned to face him and met his eyes.

"How do I look?" Atem asked.

"Every bit as beautiful as you do every day." he whispered back, but he couldn't keep his melancholy from reaching his eyes, "which is to say, absolutely stunning."

The corners of Atem's lips upturned in just the slightest fashion and Yuugi's heart ached at the sight of such a look. How many more times would he see Atem's lovely smile or observe the wonders of his joy? It hurt to think of.

His lover took his hands into his own, leaning in to brush his lips against his so softly. "Your hands are shaking."

"I wonder how that happened," Yuugi said gently, looking down to where their palms connected, fingers interlacing. 

"I told you-you should've gotten more sleep last night... Of course you're unsteady," Atem excused him, prepared to call Yuugi's blatant display of fear as anything other than what it was. If the prince had anything to be grateful for, it was that he'd been able to remain strong for Atem up until the end. And now, Atem seemed as if he was ready to accept death with grace.

"I really do need to thank you, Yuugi," Atem whispered, leaning his head against the demon prince's, "you make this so much easier for me. There's nothing left to regret when I lived a life so full of love because of you. Even in this short time we've had together, knowing that it ends like this, well... I'm glad I have someone like you standing at my side for this. Thank you, Yuugi, for taking the tragedies of my circumstance and turning them into sweetness until the very end of it. I don't know anyone else who would give so much of themselves for me."

Yuugi gripped onto Atem's hand tightly, his heart-shaped lips pressed into a thin line. "Don't thank me just yet," he whispered in a solemn promise, "the end has yet to come."

"But if it has," Atem said softly, his breath warm against Yuugi's lips, "my only regret is having to leave your side." 

He closed the gap between the two of them, the brush of his lips sweet and tender. How could anyone wish to steal a life from his sweetest love? Eventually, the two of them parted.

"Come," he whispered, "we shouldn't be late for this. After all, it'll be my first time attending one of your royal court meetings. I'm almost excited..." Atem said, taking Yuugi's hand, a sad smile curling his lips. 

"Oh, I wouldn't be, these meetings are always so dry," Yuugi said, but followed Atem as he led him out of the bedroom without protest, "I worry it'll bore you to..." 

"Death?" Atem finished, the smile on his lips told Yuugi that his lover found the phrasing much funnier than he had. He was glad that at least he could still laugh in these somber moments.

"Tears," Yuugi corrected. 

"Of course," Atem said, squeezing Yuugi's palm, "but I'm sure the penalty for arriving late would be no laughing matter."

"Now, that's something I would be concerned with," Yuugi said with a sigh. What pain came from his wretched failure, of inadequate timing, of the lack of his own miracles he labored over bringing into this world. How could he live past losing Atem, not only to be crushed by the crippling loneliness of his absence but having to fight for a war that brought pain and death to Atem's peoples? It wasn't as if Aknamkanon hadn't sacrificed them just as he had Atem in his most recent violation of their treaties. To lose any life at all, even the ones that brought him pain and rivaled his home, was the last thing he'd wished for.

But Atem insisted he keep going and walked into the throne room, the place where the crown had destined him to be executed, entirely of his own volition, with no protest or argument waiting on his tongue. His only request was that Yuugi were to do it himself, with mercy and kindness. He wouldn't refuse a dying man's final wishes, not one that he loved so dearly, even when the pain he would bear was sure to cling to him until he exhaled his final breath.

The two of them arrived before the royal court, and Solomon sat peering down at them from his throne. All the generosity and compassion that Yuugi had known of from his childhood had been stolen from his eyes. No mercy or apology waited in his expression, only a look that waited for his grandson to move forward and murder the man he’d grown to cherish with every ounce of his life.

It seemed as if it didn't matter to anyone within this lonely world except for him as if his constitution was the only one that held such strong reservations against murder. Still, Yuugi had run out of time and options, and so he stood at Atem's side before his grandfather, and bowed his head, waiting for it to be done with or for divine intervention to spare his lover's life. 

The king stood before them, risen from his throne, but his regent nowhere in sight. Perhaps, despite Yuugi's conceptions about Pegasus, he, too wanted nothing to do with the bloodshed. Perhaps, after this day had come to pass, he could find some solace with him and the tragedies of war. 

"It is a solemn day amongst all of our people," Solomon began, eyes narrowed as his low voice carried across the throne room, his wicked gaze resting over Atem, "that we must reopen the wounds of the past and incite a war worse than the ones of our cruel histories. However, it is with absolute necessity that I declare battle on Khemet after the blatant disrespect they've grown bolder and bolder within the past year, and their most recent atrocities may not grow unpunished. How much more would we lose if we were to ignore such sleights and bow to the depravity that corrupts their kingdom?"

"We will never know such an answer, for, on the pride of our ancestors that died to ensure our kingdom's safety long ago, we return Khemet's last offering and revoke the peace we once cultivated between our two nations." The room was hushed in a funeral toned sobriety and Yuugi was glad for it. He couldn't have tolerated rallying cries or cheers in the name of their people when he was meant to slaughter Atem, his sweetest treasure, his precious consort. “But we are a kinder people than that of Khemet. We will offer them the forewarning of a proper war declaration. The crown prince himself will kill this year's offering, and send back the head of Aknamkanon’s son, just as the Khemetians had done unto the peoples of our nation.”

It was at these words that a servant boy walked across the room carrying a velvet pillow in his small hands, a cursed blade sat on top of it that he was meant to slay Atem with. Yuugi's stomach felt sick in seeing it. With one press against his lover's throat, no matter how shallow the cut, he would be dead in an instant with no chance to suffer. Yuugi clutched the handle within his grip and turned to look to Atem.

Atem had forced a quick smile to curl his lips as he saw Yuugi look to him, but the prince had known much better. Despite the brave front he put on and the reassurances he'd supplied him with that he had come to terms with his fate, Yuugi saw the fear in his eyes and guilt flooded him. How could he possibly hurt Atem, kill Atem, when he looked at him with such pleading eyes still hoping to be saved? Yuugi spared a quick glance at the throne room doors, hoping that if he could wait just another minute, another thirty seconds, his plan would've worked and life could resume with the tenderness of his lover at his side. Nothing came, but his grandfather grew impatient with him. 

"Yuugi," Atem whispered, his hands cupping his lover’s cheeks and turning his face to look at him, "go on. It's okay, I love you always, do what needs to be done." 

Yuugi trembled, raising the dagger, the blade hovering before Atem's throat as blood pounded in his ears. He swallowed, waiting for another tic as his eyes shifted back to the heavy doors once more, looking for something, anything. Should he fail to do it, Atem's fate would fall into the hands of someone else, and his lover would die at the hands of a stranger. He couldn't let that happen, but he could never take Atem's life like this, before so many prying eyes, for a cause so cruel!

"I love you, too, Atem," Yuugi said, his voice cracking near the end, "and that's why I can't do this. I can't." 

"You will do it yourself as you had asked to do, or I will do it myself, and it will be a far less merciful end!" Solomon commanded, "I have given you your time, and nothing within the week has changed, war is still ahead of us. Do you not understand? There is no place for your bleeding heart so long as the corruption within Khemet still stands!"

Should he not have still been in such a shocked stupor, he might've cried. Not out of sorrow, but with tears of righteous fury spilling past his eyes. The man who had raised him as his own, the one he once loved dearly as his kind and generous grandfather was nowhere to be found. "Fine!" he snarled, "but I will do it out of mercy, for Atem deserves better than to be a pawn in your awful war. Not for you, but for him.."

He raised the dagger and brought it to the bronze column of Atem's throat. The slightest of pressure and he would be gone forever, his precious soul stolen from him in an untimely death. He hesitated, but this time to apologize. "I'm sorry, my prince, that I couldn't have saved you in time."

Atem wrapped his arms around Yuugi's neck, his eyelids falling shut and a tears sliding down his cheek. "I forgive you, my love. Do what you have to."

But before Yuugi could do so, the heavy doors to the throne room were slammed open, revealing Pegasus looking disheveled and out of breath, a piece of parchment in his grip. The dagger fell from his grip and clattered to the floor. "Stop! New information has come to light..." the regent huffed, propping himself up against the door frame, "that I think you'll want to hear, your majesty..."

"Out with it, then!" Solomon said, looking as if he were about to tear his hair out after all the interruption, but it gave Yuugi a glimmer of hope, a second to breathe.

"Give me a moment," Pegasus gasped, "I had to run all the way from the outer gate to deliver this... my body wasn't made for such strenuous things..."

"Pegasus," Solomon glared, " _today_ , please."

Pegasus nodded, lifting the parchment to read, parting his lips to speak before thinking against it. "I'll summarize. Aknamkanon's heart stopped. It's assumed the cause is of human illness, but, there's more. Regent Aknadin had been using Aknamkanon as a puppet to control the court, but now that he's dead and the extent of his corruption has been exposed, the rest of the court has revolted against him, and he fled before he could receive the death penalty. They ask for our forgiveness, and for our help in capturing him and doling out justice upon him for what he's done to both our kingdom and their own peoples. They ask for permission to send over a few of their officials to begin to discuss reparations."

Solomon quieted before sending a glance to Yuugi. "You can leave now, and take your prince with you. But I wouldn't get too comfortable just yet."

***

Yuugi had escorted Atem out of the throne room, amazed that it had worked, that his lover had been spared, and the war halted. Atem, however, had gone quiet as the two of them sat together on his bed. Their fingers laced together, but a hollow sort of shock played across his features. Yuugi could only wonder what was left in his mind after going through what he had after his husband had pressed a knife to his throat and would have killed him should the regent not have come bearing the successes of his endeavors in the thirteenth hour. But the war was halted, for now at least, and Atem would have all the time he needed to recover from such an experience.

"I never imagined I'd spare my father another moment's thought after he sacrificed me to save his own skin," Atem whispered, finally breaking his silence, "but now that he's gone, I have to know... Was it your doing, Yuugi? Did you somehow kill my father while you remained at my side within the past week?"

Yuugi fell silent at the questioning, and he had no desire to lie to Atem, but the truth was even harder to tell. No matter what terms they had ended on, Aknamkanon had been Atem's father. Still, even if Atem was upset with him, he had no regrets, and wouldn't feed his lover misconceptions on his father's end. "I can not know for sure that I was the cause," Yuugi said, "but it was my every intention knowing that it meant saving you."

Atem said nothing more for a quiet moment, and Yuugi couldn't remember a time when their silences between them had grown so tense. He waited with bated breath for seconds that ticked by like hours before Atem spoke again. "I am not angry with you, my love, for I know that what you did was for the fate of something much more than either of us," he spoke softly, "and knowing what I know now, I am almost relieved that my father died. I can live believing that the worst of my father that I came to know wasn't him at all. But..."

"He's still my father, and now he's gone," he whispered. 

Atem's head was quickly tucked into the nape of Yuugi's neck, and the tears he'd fought to hold in began to fall hot against the prince's collar. Yuugi wrapped his arms around Atem's waist, hugging him in tight to his chest, and making his best efforts to comfort him. He pressed a kiss to the top of his head and let Atem weep openly into his embrace until the ache that rested in his heart begun to subside.

***

A human wagon arrived at the gates of the Penumbral Palace, and the king was the first to welcome it onto the grounds. Out of it stepped a woman, features soft and human, dark-haired and spice-colored skin the same as Atem, wearing a long white dress and a golden necklace.

"Your majesty," she greeted, bowing her head low to the king, "it is a great honor to meet you. I foresee that together we will have much to discuss for the sake of our kingdoms."

"I imagine there is much truth to your statement. The question is, where shall we begin?" Solomon said, wary as he eyed the golden eye perched on her neck.

"With an apology, sire," she said, raising her head, "it is my deepest regret that the past year brought such devastation between the relationships of Khemet and your great nation. I can only hope that my being here may begin to mend some of the damage that had been done, and bring both of our kingdoms closer than they had been before."

"Well, I'll take it into great consideration, but I believe that the apology to fix what's transpired between our two separate kingdoms is one of action, not words. To amend the both of our past wrongdoings."

A serene smile caught the priestess' lips, "I could not agree with you more, your majesty. What shall we discuss first?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why do so many of you think Pegasus is the bad guy? He just wants to get drunk and paint nudes he's already got too much work to do as a regent.


	14. Resolution

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> haha this is late but this is the longest chapter I've ever written and boy, was it a challenge

The days following the narrow success of Yuugi's assassination plan crawled by in a hazy, muddled disbelief. An unnerving feeling that this wasn't over, that despite the anguish and torture of uncertainty of the days before Atem was supposed to be executed at his own hand, that somehow their suffering had simply been postponed. Yuugi hoped it was only the paranoia that came after the traumatic experience that threatened to tear his world into pieces that had left him so unnerved, and not a state of intuition. Hours turned to days, days turned to weeks, and weeks turned to months by the time Yuugi's fears had finally begun to settle.

Foreign diplomats stayed within their home, concerning themselves with the details that had nearly gotten his husband killed. They spoke in meetings endlessly, to which Yuugi had only been allowed into a select few of these myriad meetings due to how heavily involved he'd been with the prince within the last months. Yuugi thought it sounded like an excuse to keep him from the secrets that nearly decimated his life, and that he was the one who put an end to them thanklessly. He longed to peek into the throne room and any other meeting hall in which the name of the Khemetic prince sat poised on the tongue of court officials.

However, dread flooded back into Yuugi when his grandfather finally approached him to speak. He knew far too well that the fate of their dealings with the humans of Khemet had reached a conclusion to decide their future. What other reason could have guided his grandfather to speak before him now, after he'd been avoiding him for so long? Tension coiled around his heart, and he scarcely felt as if he could breathe, but nonetheless, Yuugi followed where his grandfather led to tell him his decision in all its finality. His heart could barely handle all the suspense after the last few weeks...

But as his grandfather stood before him, it wasn't upon the pedestal of his throne or in a position above him. Instead, he stood plainly in the gardens, a shorter man that better resembled a grandfather than the ruling king of their nation. Still, Yuugi could only anticipate the worst as the last of the Khemetic diplomats had left the kingdom for home once again.

"Yuugi," he addressed finally, solemnly, and his tone did nothing to ease Yuugi’s troubled mind. What left his lips afterward, however, was something he hadn't been prepared to hear. "I owe you an apology for the way I've acted in the recent past. Khemet has come to us with genuine efforts to restore the peace we sought, and had it not been for what you'd done to stand up to me and my transgressions, our people would have suffered a great loss because of it. I doubt that our neighbors would have taken so kindly to us if I had taken away their beloved prince."

"It was your love for all life that led us to this moment, and I thank you for that, Yuugi. I know that one day when I pass, your shoulders will be strong enough to bear the weight of our kingdom's responsibilities, to lead with justice and not the prejudices I'm ashamed to have let overcome me in the heat of the moment," he said. "Even further, I know that you'll do all this and more with Atem forever at your side. Don't think that through all this, I didn't spy those rings you two started wearing."

Yuugi flushed, and out of nerves, his right hand twisted the golden band situated over his ring finger. 

"Well, Yuugi, quite frankly I'm perplexed that you were the center of the most critical marriage of the millennium, and you didn't invite me?" Solomon said in mock hurt, "and you had Joseph do the service, no less! It's an absolute disgrace."

"I thought I raised you better than this, Yuugi. Now, you might inherit the crown one day, but as I am still the current king, I insist, no- demand, that you throw Atem a ceremony fit for those of your stature in proper husbandry." 

Before Yuugi could think of a proper response, still reeling from the shock of such a confrontation, Solomon presented him with his closed fist, and as his fingers slowly uncurled, he revealed a long silver key covered in intricate details. He was met with a staggering recognition in realizing what his grandfather presented to him. His jaw fell slack, and he found he was without words for a moment.

The key his grandfather presented him with unlocked a place of unparalleled beauty, one that he'd been inside of only once before, at his grandfather's invitation when he was just a child: The Basilica of Agape. It was reserved for the marriages of royalty, the sacred unions of those in the line of ascension beneath the crown. It was where his father, and grandfather, and the continuation of his royal ancestry were married as far back as the sacred structure had been in existence. He stared in shock at the key within his grandfather's palm, still trying to grasp onto the idea that his love for Atem would be not only acknowledged but exalted before his kingdom.

His grandfather said nothing more of it, but took Yuugi's hand within his own to place the key on his palm and curled his fingers around it. "I can begin the preparations as early as this coming week. I know there is much work to do to earn your forgiveness for what I've done, but I hope that this can be a good place to begin."

For Atem's title of consort to be recognized publicly was what Yuugi had hoped for in his heart of hearts, beyond the expanse of his sweetest dreams, and now? He'd been glad just to have Atem in his arms alive. Even then, should he have been granted the privilege to call Atem his own, he was prepared for it to take time for the opinion of many to be swayed into acceptance of his lover. This opportunity would mean he would never have to seek a bride, it meant that Atem was undeniably his dearest love, his most important forever to be loved by him as well as those who cared for the crown. None of this had been lost on him.

He gripped tight to the key and wrapped his arms around his grandfather in an embrace. Had the revelation not have been so sudden and shocking, Yuugi might've wept from the heights of joy that plumed within his ribcage. He leaned back from it with his hands positioned over his grandfather's broad shoulders, a smile on his lips. "Thank you, grandfather. You are right, however, that there's much more to be done before you've earned my trust back. I need to know all that you do, to be invited to each and every court meeting, even the private ones held between you and Regent Pegasus."

"The ones between Pegasus and I? I'm not sure I understand quite what you mean, Yuugi," Solomon said, his voice low, "you must be mistaken-"

"Ah ah, no more secrets, grandfather. I've seen the two of you disappear together more than a handful of times, and I refuse to watch idly, anymore. I need to be a part of all affairs in this nation if I am ever to take the crown."

"Well, I suppose you've caught me there..." Solomon said with a tense laugh, "I swear to keep you informed with all that happens, and not to hide such affairs behind your back any longer. I will be sure to make this known to Regent Pegasus as well."

"Good," Yuugi said with a soft sigh and a smile he couldn't seem to shake, "I think I'll take my leave now; I'll need to speak to Atem about this, naturally."

"As you should. There'll be much to talk about regarding your wedding in the coming weeks and the preparations that will undoubtedly need your attention. For now, you should be with Atem. Celebrate your moment together."

Yuugi needed no more encouragement to take his leave, turning away, graceful strides full of spirit led the prince out of the courtyard and towards the royal chambers he shared with Atem. Solomon exhaled a sigh of exasperation as he watched his grandson's exit. He wondered how the precocious prince of the Penumbral Palace could be so observant and adept at reading even the slightest of hints around the tensions between the demonic kingdoms and the humans of Khemet to predict his actions and compensate for them. Despite this, he was still so oblivious to what had been conspiring within what private hours he had to himself for the past years that he’d misread him entirely. Even at this age, there seemed to be many mysteries still yet to unravel. He shook his head and made his own exit.

***

Atem was a vision of splendor, even in his moments bare of precious jewels and golden bands, only wearing the simpler attire of Yuugi's home. He watched his lover in his unoccupied freedom sitting at the edge of their now shared bed, running his thumb along a lioness that belonged to their mehen board that still sat out in the middle of his mattress where the evidence of their last match sat exposed. A warm smile curled his lips, and he snuck closer, wrapping his arms around Atem, his chest against his back, and pressed his nose into the warm nape of his neck to breathe him in. "Thinking of asking for another match?"

Atem chuckled, his voice rich, mellow, and sweet as honey. In this tender moment, Yuugi could think of no purer sound than his lover's laughter. "I was thinking about the first match we played together."

"Oh? Reminiscing about my spectacular luck, and how I managed to demolish you?" Yuugi teased, placing a kiss on the bronze skin of his throat. 

Atem snorted at this. "More like trying to remember how exactly you cheated me out of _my_ victory."

"Now, now, my prince, it's not the time to be a sore loser," he joked, before placing his hands over Atem's broad shoulders. His voice went hushed, and Yuugi wet his lips before he spoke up again, much more seriously this time, "there's actually something important I need to tell you.”

Atem turned within Yuugi's gentle hold to look at him, his attention captured as he met his gaze. The playfulness of the instant dissolved, and Yuugi began to regret not prefacing that his ‘something important’ was one of good fortune. "Yes, my love?" 

"My grandfather knows that we exchanged vows," Yuugi confessed and withdrew the keys to the wedding chapel from his pocket, glancing up to met Atem's eyes and met him with a shy smile, "and he believes that our wedding ceremony was not up to par for such an important event. Atem, we not only have his blessing over our union, but it will be one that we can display proudly to both of our kingdoms."

Atem blinked, his gaze flashing down to Yuugi's palm, placing his over the keys as what Yuug was telling him. "You... Yuugi what are these?"

"These are the keys to a place sacred to this kingdom," Yuugi said softly, and he clasped his empty hand over Atem's, "it's the Temple of Agape, a temple of marriage. Only those who are to take the crown are allowed to marry in this blessed place and to do so, it means that..." Yuugi faltered in finding the words to express what exactly it meant to be married in such a place.

"Our union will be recognized by your kingdom. That I'll be..." 

"My husband," Yuugi whispered, his voice shaky with joy, tears brimming up over his waterline as he brushed his lips against Atem's smooth cheek. "That I'll never have to marry another for political purpose. That you are just as much the prince of this nation as I am. To _our_ kingdom."

Atem let go of Yuugi's palm, and his arms wrapped tight around his sweetheart's neck, pulling him into a tight embrace, and Yuugi melted into his arms. Finally, finally, finally it was over, the worry of Atem being taken away from him, of his lover being unwelcome in his home, the threat of war that loomed over the boundaries of their separate kingdoms gone at last. And to end it, a royal wedding.

Yuugi slowly separated from Atem's tender hold and cupped his cheek in his smooth palm. "Atem," he whispered, "I can give you the wedding you deserve this way. This time, before our peoples, I will make sure it is beyond perfect for you. Just say yes, one more time, my darling. This time, I can promise you a bright forever."

"Of course," Atem laughed, "I'd have to be a fool to say no to this, to you." He grasped Yuugi cheeks in his palms and pulled him in to kiss him. Yuugi sighed, tension falling away from him and rolling off his shoulders. How perfect, how divine it was to share another kiss, another conversation, another day with Atem. Fate had made sure he'd never forget how fortunate he was to have these small treasures, to never forget that every breath he took into his lungs at Atem's side was a commodity precious beyond words. 

"I'm so glad," Yuugi whispered into their kisses, "so glad to show the love I have for you before the entire kingdom."

Atem's deft fingers combed through Yuugi's thick hair, and the prince shivered as his lover's dull nails scraped lightly over his scalp. He sighed in pure bliss, the keys clattering as they fell away to the ground, and he gently pushed Atem to lay down beside him as their kisses continued and deepened. Yuugi's hands gladly canvassed Atem's physique, sliding up and down his sides before coming to rest on the small of his back. When they parted, the air was full of laughter and easiness.

"I would have no regrets, even if our union was only shared between the two of us," he said softly, a lazy smile curling the corner of his lips, crinkling the corners of his dark eyes, "...even with Joey reading our vows."

The two of them dissolved into laughter once more, and the desperation of yesterday was one they joked about today. Yuugi hoped he could always bring Atem to laugh in such glee without second thought, to give him this space to be himself without restriction. That would be enough for Yuugi, this simple delight.

"And I would have no regrets towards anything, so long as I could bring you happiness for the rest of our lives together."

"Somehow," Atem whispered, running his hand along the slope of Yuugi's shoulder, "I doubt you'll have any trouble doing that for as long as I'm alive. So long as your heart is as kind as it is in this moment, I couldn't ask for more from you."

"Yeah?" Yuugi whispered, his smile beginning to burn in the muscles of his cheeks, "how fortunate I am, to have earned such sweet affection from a man so incredible."

"Oh, you stop that," Atem laughed, gently shoving Yuugi's shoulder. Yuugi grinned as he did and pulled his lover back tight into his arms.

"Is that what you want? What would you rather I talk to you about then, my darling?" Yuugi teased. "The wedding? Oh, yes, that would be perfect- what do you think, what color wax seal would suit our invitations best? Or perhaps you've got some idea what flowers you'd prefer for the table arrangements. What do you think?"

Atem laughed and put his palm over Yuugi's mouth. "I'd rather you didn't talk right now," he whispered, and his laughter finally died down, a tender sigh falling from his lips, "I'd like to just be with you for now, until all of this settles in..."

"Well," Yuugi purred, "I think I can probably handle that..."

Yuugi was giddy to be with Atem precisely as he was now within this glorious moment. Beyond a wedding, beyond public approval, what truly made his heart rejoice was that Atem was no longer anyone's pawn, but instead, a man free to live his life outside of the bondage of sacrifice. No longer was it Atem's burden to forfeit his life for the pride and wellbeing of his mother kingdom, but to be embraced by the sweetness and love of a second home, and his duty one to live a life of joy.

He dissolved into Atem's embrace once more, a soft sigh of content escaping his chest while his lover's face nestled into the crook of his neck. The two of them tangled together in a mess of limbs and unbridled intimacy, where the tenderness of Atem's touch made time fall away around them. He hoped these tender moments they built together would pile up in number as they grew old together until they could build a palace out of sweetest memories, and continue to let more of them pile up within.

***

Time had sped past him since the moment of which Yuugi revealed the plans of a proper marriage to Atem. Fall burned brightly in the courtyard before winter had swept its color away, and all the while Atem had kept Yuugi's bed warm with his summer heart. In the time of the passing seasons, Yuugi and Atem were no longer able to spend every possible hour of the day at each other's side or poised in a lover's lap. Atem's new position demanded that he be well versed in the nation's rich history and its myriad of customs. In his afternoons, Atem would be stolen away by tutors to make sure that he'd retained these important teachings that would surely serve him one day. For now, however, the customs and teachings grounded Atem's new life in the demon kingdoms, and every day he became more at home.

While Atem's hours were filling up with the understanding of the many great and diverse facets of Yuugi's homeland, the prince's wishes to be kept better informed on the affairs of the royal court were being honored. During breakfast, tea, and sometimes late hours in the night were meetings called, both scheduled and sudden. The shifts that their kingdom now faced as it moved to right Khemet once more after the tragedies that had befallen their king, as well as their sanctity, made some matters unable to be planned for ahead of time. Instead, progress came in glorious and unpredictable sparks, large and small. 

Humans, after enduring rigorous vetting were allowed into the demon kingdom on the basis of diplomacy, as were some of the higher court officials of the demon country. Change encapsulated both of their grand nations in a swift upheaval for the better. One thing, however, remained the same from a time before Aknamkanon's passing, and that was the way Yuugi's heart yearned for Atem. Though the hours they were able to spend together now were shorter than they'd been before, it only made them appreciate the time, touch, and days they were able to spend together that much more precious. In bed before drifting off to sleep, the two of them relished in kisses and sweet cuddling, sharing the details and events of their time apart with each other, laughing over Atem's endless tutoring and Yuugi's monotonous meetings. 

Another event seasoned their conversations they shared within spare moments, and it was that of their wedding. With every passing day, they grew closer to the evening in which they were able to share their love with both of their nations. If nothing else, it would be a pivotal point within the foreign relationships of their respective kingdoms for the two crowned heirs to the throne to take each other's hand in marriage. Together the two of them had gone over everything, the wedding, the decor, and the menu was a beautiful highlight that Atem enjoyed indulging in, his preference siding highly with foods from the Djinn country, but Yuugi managed to coerce him into sneaking a few more local dishes into the desserts. 

But as winter melted away, and flowers became the topic of discussion as they flooded the palace for inspection, deciding floral arrangements, so did the guest list. For the first time in perhaps ever, a number of humans from Khemet's royal court would arrive in the demon kingdom without the purpose of offering treasures. Instead, they'd be here to celebrate their prince's marriage and the peace that would be born of his union. It was a jarring transition, and Yuugi had no clue what to expect of it. There were a few that were even to be included in the wedding procession.

Of course, it all made sense, for it was Atem's wedding every bit as much as his own, and he was glad that those he was close to would be able to be at his side for this important moment. Still, there was so much Yuugi didn't know about Atem's life from before. He wondered what he should expect, what would change with the human influence, but the sight of Atem fluffing up the floral arrangements and twirling stems around his finger, a smile curled on his lips and joy in his eyes told him all he needed to know. So long as his partner was happy with their arrangements, Yuugi could ask for no better outcome. 

He pressed into Atem's side, a soft sigh of content on his lips as they looked over the arrangements. "So," Yuugi whispered, "are you ready for our wedding, darling? It's only a few weeks away now."

Atem nudged his elbow into Yuugi's side, his smile evolving into a grin. "Yes," he said, "I'll admit, it's a lot of work along with the tutoring and the preparation for being on the altar at your side... but I couldn't be happier that it's happening. I am beyond glad that I can be with you like this."

Yuugi, in his mind, knew that Atem should be excited about their wedding, that certainly his feelings should mirror his own elation in at least some regards over their union. However, to hear it from Atem made his tensions melt, and once more, he felt in the same sweet intensity that he had when Yuugi'd first begun to pursue Atem, the same tenderness that he regarded him within that time they'd spent together on their tour of the kingdom. While duty and responsibility ate into the time they were able to spend together, it didn't dull any of Yuugi's affection for his fiance, and only made them return more sharply in the hours their schedule allotted for them to share. 

"Me too, Atem," he cooed, "I can't imagine anything more beautiful than promising myself to you."

The two of them shared a moment of quiet, tender and calm before Yuugi leaned in close to whisper into his lover's rounded ear. 

"And what's even more exciting," Yuugi whispered, "is how I'll snatch you away from your tutoring for our honeymoon."

"Is that right?" Atem said, leaning into Yuugi's shoulder, his grin coming back to grace his visage in full.

"Oh absolutely," Yuugi promised, gently placing his hands on Atem's shoulders and slowly letting them creep down his arms, "Just the two of us together... in a beautiful place to explore... with _no_ interruptions..."

Before Atem could respond to this, one of the tutors that had taught Yuugi formerly smacked him on the arm and separated the two, guiding their attention back to floral arrangements and decor. What a blessing it would be when the two of them would finally be free of these constant interruptions...

***

The day was finally upon the two of them. Yuugi kissed Atem awake and ran his fingers through his lover's hair as the first rays of dawn stained their bedroom in soft, rosy color. They had at least an hour before their attendants would drag them apart to prepare for the grand event of their wedding. Yuugi ran his hands along Atem's sides, just barely able to feel the structure of his ribs underneath layers of smooth skin and sinew. He pressed his lips against his lover's jaw and down to his neck with a feather-light touch as they were bathed in morning light, and Atem came alive beneath his affections.

"Mmh, Yuugi," Atem whispered, leaning his head back to expose more of his neck as he hugged the prince closer before sleep-slurred laughter began to spill from his mouth. His sweetheart's deft hands dove into his hair and messed up his bedhead even further, his trimmed fingernails scraping gently against his scalp and sending shivers racing down Yuugi's spine. "Good morning to you, too," he said, his lazy early morning smile clear enough in his voice that Yuugi could see it even through his closed eyelids.

"Good morning my love," Yuugi said softly, his nose nuzzling into the nape of his partner's neck, holding him even tighter within his embrace, "today is the day. After all those months, the struggles and the separation, it'll be worth all of that and more to be standing on the altar at your side. Are you as excited as I am, darling?" 

"I'm not sure anyone can be excited as you are, my dear," Atem laughed, pressing a kiss to the top of Yuugi's temple, "but I know that this day is one I've been looking forward to for a long time coming, and I can hardly believe that it's finally happening..."

Yuugi laid his head firmly on Atem's chest and let out a sigh of content. "I'm sorry for waking you, but my heart is so full I can't imagine sleeping for even a moment longer... My darling are you nervous?"

Atem only continued to pet his head, and a yawn escaped him. "Not to marry you, Yuugi, never for that," he said softly, "but I'd be lying to say that such an event doesn't leave me feeling at least a touch anxious..."

This was the answer Yuugi had wanted to hear; that despite the wedding being a joyous day that the two of them had put their soul into preparing, Yuugi wasn't the only one who felt the pressure with this momentous occasion finally being upon them. "I know exactly that feeling, Atem. I want it all to be perfect for you, but I know it's out of my hands now," he sighed softly, and found Atem's hand to take into his own, "but I'll be at your side for all of it, and that's something I could never regret. My heart is yours, Atem." 

"Oh, you sap, you ought to save it for the altar," Atem laughed and hugged Yuugi tight, "but I'm glad it's you, there's no one else I could imagine sharing this with. Now, shhh, it's still early. Just... hold me, and let's save our speeches for later."

Yuugi could only comply, leaning into his sweetheart's touch and holding him tight. He soaked in his lover's warmth and sweetness, letting the joy that was to come from their union to overtake his heart, any anxiety of the event fading to black in his mind. It wasn't long before the attendants arrived to wake the two of them, and their tender embrace was broken apart to be fitted in their wedding attire and made ready for the events of their glorious wedding ceremony, only hours away from taking place.

Away from Atem, his hair was washed while his attendants scrubbed, filed, and manicured his hands as he lay back. By the time they'd finished washing, plucking and rubbing scented oils into his skin, dark curls coiffed, he could feel himself glowing, even if he did feel a bit raw. That feeling faded soon enough, however, as he was pulled to his feet and drug into his fitting room and stripped of his bedclothes to have his wedding attire finally revealed to him. 

Yuugi was buttoned up in a fine linen shirt, followed by a dark jacket with a smooth satin finish. He was decorated in sashes and brooches and delicate gold finishes. More gold cuffed his wrists as well as his horns, crowning him with the wealth of his kingdom. Finally, they placed his crown on him before they allowed him to look at himself. He had to take a moment to admire their handiwork- he'd been dressed up plenty of times for galas and ceremonial events, but never to a caliber like... _this_. He could only wonder, if they had made him to look this regal, just exactly how breathtaking was his fiance going to be when he met him on the altar? He was sure he'd be blinded by Atem's radiance, and he couldn't wait to witness him.

But, it seemed that he'd be waiting for some time, seeing as the ceremony wouldn't be starting for another few hours and they'd yet to arrive at the temple of Agape. He sighed softly, knowing that the time spent in anticipation of seeing Atem's ethereal beauty was time that would crawl by at a snail's pace. This was alright. Today, after knowing and fearing the emptiness of a life without Atem and how time sped away from him as he attempted to keep his precious sweetheart alive and with him, he was glad to wait to see Atem at the altar. This waiting only made his heart grow fonder of his dearest love.

While Atem would be kept out of sight until the moment he was to be revealed at the ceremony, Yuugi would be escorted to the temple to great those who would be welcomed into his wedding ceremony. While he wished that he could have Atem at his side for this moment, to greet those people of his homeland, he would be glad to bear the weight of this effort for his lover to be certain this day would roll smoothly and without a hitch for his beautiful partner. Indeed, the pains of being made presentable were ones that Yuugi knew, but he couldn't imagine what Atem was going through to be displayed as prince-consort before Yuugi's motherland, as well as his lover's own kingdom. 

He met a number of humans, their presence here to grace this monumental moment in the life of not only their prince but their kingdom. He bowed his head low to greet them, and they returned the gesture before he offered his hand to them, one by one. The meeting turned out to be much simpler than he'd previously anticipated, and Yuugi met each of them with a smile that sparkled in his eyes. Two of the men stood taller than him, and while one greeted Yuugi kindly, the other with piercing blue eyes seemed to still hold onto some of Khemet's former prejudices in his chest. Alas, Yuugi wouldn't hold it against him, for he was here for Atem anyhow, and old mistakes were hard to triumph over.

Two women had joined as well, one bubbling over with a childlike energy and a smile that sliced into her cheeks and crinkled the skin around her eyes as she shook his hand. The other carried herself with a much more dignified presence, and she bowed her head to him in place of taking his hand, speaking up instead.

"It is truly a pleasure to meet you, your royal highness. I have heard what you have done for our beloved prince, as well as for the state of our nations," she said, "I am glad to see that the relationship between our two homes may finally begin to heal fully, and I believe this marriage is an excellent beginning. I trust that you will take good care of him."

"I wouldn't dream of treating your prince with anything but the best that I could possibly give," Yuugi said with a tender smile upturning the corners of his lips, "he is truly a gift unto our nation and brings me so much joy. All I wish is to return the same to him and more."

She nodded to him, and a smile curved her stern expression. Her fingers lifted up to rest atop the golden necklace she wore, and her eyes shut just briefly before looking back to him. "I don't know you very well, young prince, but I imagine you'll have a very full life doing exactly that- as well as repairing the state of our kingdoms."

"I couldn't be more pleased to hear it from someone close to him," Yuugi said, but he felt as if there was something more to the statement than a kind sentiment. There was no time to dwell on that, however. He guided the entourage into their carriage. There was just one person they were missing, and Yuugi narrowed his eyes searching the carriage to be sure he hadn't missed him.

A glance over his shoulder gave him the answer he'd been looking for as he saw his best man running up to join him on the carriage. It was strange, though, to see Joey wearing something aside from a palace uniform, his hair combed back and without dirt smearing his face from garden work. 

"Joey!" he called back with open arms to greet his dear friend, gently patting him on his arm, "you're late, I was worried you weren't going to make it."

"Your best man missing your wedding? Not a chance!" he laughed, tucking blonde hair behind his ear, "c'mon, something like this only happens once in a lifetime. Plus, I bet there'll be some pretty stellar wedding favors, huh?"

Yuugi snorted and escorted Joey into their carriage before hopping in himself. He watched as his friend was chided by the priest with the piercing blue gaze on his tardiness, and they began to bicker back and forth as if they'd done this a thousand times before. Yuugi could only laugh watching such a scene before he dissolved into quiet and his jitters filled the space where he wished there was only Atem. He could only hope now that everything had been handled properly as the carriage lead them to the temple and Yuugi was left alone with his thoughts as the rest of the entourage chatted freely amongst themselves. How was Atem in this moment? He could only hope he would see him soon.

It was only once his friend elbowed his side that he looked up, and out of the window he stole a glance of the temple, his fears evaporated. He was filled with wonder as he'd been the first time he'd been allowed to witness it as a child, when his grandfather instructed him that one day, when he was a man, he'd be allowed to marry in this blessed place. Its spire towered high enough to scrape the clouds, its splendor invading his heart.

The reality of the situation finally collapsed onto him, that today his marriage, the tenderest union he had committed to Atem within their darkest hours would finally reach its fruition and be acknowledged by not only his people but Atem's as well. It was then his nerves were swallowed by the pride that burned in his chest. He left the carriage and began to make his way up to the temple door and pulled the keys from his pocket, but the doors had already been unlocked. As he pressed the door open, he had to clasp his hand over his mouth as he looked in in astonishment.

From the top of the spire hung thousands of flowers suspended, dancing above the altar. Light came down from above, a hidden skylight, and shafts of gold that hung from above that showered the floor with divine radiance. He'd seen this place before, been blessed by the sacred scene, but with the new life inside of it, its glory had been exalted by the new warmth brought into its hallowed halls.

He stayed at the door and welcomed guests as they entered, embracing those close to him in greeting- Anzu, Mai, Ryou and other friends. Yuugi welcomed his other acquaintances less affectionately, such as Ryou's escort, Amir, his brother Marik, and a human guest who accompanied him that Yuugi couldn't recognize received a mix of shallow bows and firm handshakes. Soon enough, however, Pegasus escorted Yuugi away from the door, as all the guests had entered, and the procession was about to begin. With a deep breath to steady himself, he took his place as groom at the altar, and to the hauntingly beautiful tune of organ playing, the wedding began.

Anzu took Joey's hand, followed by the young woman with the vibrant smile and the priest who bickered with his friend along the ride. He'd been informed their names were Mana and Set, and that they didn't get along particularly well. Finally, came the last man who had shared the carriage with him and the rest of the procession, and he took his place before him on the altar. So it was him to be reading the vows? Well, he did appear to be more qualified than Joey, no matter how much he enjoyed his friendship. 

Soon enough, however, the tune changed and the doors to the altar opened once more; the guests stood at attention and Yuugi turned his head to look. Before him stood his consort, Atem, in brilliant white attire to match the stylings of his homeland, but adorned with stunning, translucent Djinn silks and layers of gold. On his head, a white lace veil with ornate detailing, a golden circlet holding it in place. Atem was a vision of radiance, and as the rays of light that bounced of the shafts of gold that hung from the ceiling landed on his form in a dazzling display, Yuugi had to bat his lashes to keep from staining his cheeks with tears.

He met Yuugi at the altar, and he smiled softly. Yuugi had never taken stock in the Khemetic belief that their leaders were descended from the bloodline of gods, but today he had to question that belief, for when Atem's lips curled on this blessed hour, the prince swore he could see heaven in his smile. For the single moment, before Mahaad began to speak, the world fell away from him, and it was only he and Atem under the divine light of heaven, the most perfect instant of his life. 

"To those who gather here today," Mahaad began, "we are here to celebrate the union between the crown prince, Yuugi Mutou, and the rightful prince of Khemet, son of Pharaoh Aknamkanon, Atem. We are blessed to witness their coming together, for not only has their pathway to this day been riddled with obstacles, but their love also signifies the healing of the troubled relationship that has existed between their respective kingdoms for centuries. To each and every one of us within this room, we are honored to witness this union and this serendipitous love that shall be remembered beyond our time spent on this earth."

It wasn't as if Yuugi hadn't felt the same way about his marriage, not as if he didn't know the connotations it had in relationship to their kingdoms, but he couldn't help but feel the speech was a touch over the top and his lips parted in a grin as he forced himself not to laugh. 

"Without further ado," Mahaad began again, "we shall begin the exchanging of vows, confirming the promise these two make to each other in holy matrimony."

Yuugi and Atem took each other's hands, smiling at each other as Mahaad began to read their vows.

"Through the joys and sorrows you have known and will come to know, of successes and failures, through every possibility that may come to you in this lifetime, do you, Yuugi Mutou of the Penumbral Crown, promise to protect and care for your partner, to share in his pains and his pleasures, through this lifetime and those that come after as his lawfully wedded partner?"

"I do," Yuugi nodded, a serene smile on his lips.

"And do you, Your Royal Highness, Prince of Khemet, Atem, choose to take Yuugi as your partner in life, through the challenges you may face with an open heart and kindness for all eternity as his lawfully wedded partner?"

"I do," Atem said, and Yuugi felt tears prick the corners of his eyes and his cheeks burn from the width of his smile.

"Then by the powers vested in me by the crown of Khemet, I now pronounce you two to be officially married. You may now kiss the official prince-consort."

Yuugi lifted Atem's glittering veil to reveal his handsome visage, and his heart could've burst from pure elation. He leaned in to press his lips to Atem's, his hands positioning themselves on his waist, and melted as his husband returned his sweet kiss. He couldn't help but to smile into it as he heard Anzu and Joey cheer behind him, and he began to laugh as they parted, applause coming from the audience as they walked down the aisle together, some members of the audience throwing flower petals at them as they left. 

The reception was equally as immaculate, and the sun had just begun to touch the horizon as dinner was served and a toast had been started. Joey took the lead, and began his speech that nearly had Yuugi choking on his wine, and after that, he and Atem took their place on the floor to take the first dance of the night. Finally, finally, he could have a taste of the sweet intimacy of his marriage he'd thirsted for all day with his partner's chest against his, their movements perfectly in sync.

"How are you enjoying our wedding, my darling?" Yuugi asked softly. 

Atem laughed softly, a flawless lilt that made Yuugi's heart soften, "more than I could've ever dreamed."

"Me too, my darling, but..." Yuugi whispered lowly, "in all truth, whether it be in front of the kingdom, or just between us, it wouldn't matter to me. So long as I have you at my side, nothing else could be nearly as important."

Atem's smile deepened, and he laughed as Yuugi twirled him and took him into his arms. "I couldn't agree more, my love. I'm not sure I've ever been happier." 

The reception went on in magnificent beauty, but by the time he'd witnessed Joey trying to get into a fight with Atem's cousin, and instead ended up with his arms wrapped around his neck due to his alcohol-induced haze, as well as Pegasus weeping openly over how beautiful their union had been, the two of them made their getaway. As they hopped into their carriage, Atem leaned into Yuugi's arms, and Yuugi rested his head atop Atem's. "As much as I enjoyed today and being able to share this with both of our kingdoms..." Yuugi whispered into Atem's ear, "I can't wait to get some time alone with you."

"Oh, is that right?" Atem said, a wicked grin on his lips as he ran one hand along his chest while the other trailed down to the small of his back, "whatever will we do together when we're all alone, my dear husband?"

"Oh," Yuugi purred, "I have a few ideas..."

The ride back home was nearly agonizing when the two of them were thrumming with energy with some more adventurous ideas in mind thanks to the open bar at their reception. On the ride home, Atem's mouth never parted from Yuugi's, and his hands ran beneath Yuugi's suit, cool against his warm skin. By the time they'd made it home, Yuugi was burning up with anticipation, and he picked Atem up in his arms to take him inside to which he laughed, taking shortcuts to their bedroom. Once there, he gently tossed him down on their shared bed and made quick work getting Atem out of his fine fabrics but didn't bother with taking his jewelry off. 

When he'd stripped him of his wedding robes, he gasped and looked up at Atem's face to find him smirking down at him with satisfaction. Beneath his wedding wear, he'd donned lacy lingerie, no doubt from the nymphs, and he knew he had Anzu to thank for this. 

Atem ran his hands down his sides seductively, his back arched and propped up against pillows. "Like it?" Atem asked without breaking eye contact.

"Holy hell, Atem," Yuugi gasped, and he knew it had to be a sin to try and remove the lace from his skin, "You're gorgeous."

Atem ran his hand through Yuugi's hair, petting his head from where he smiled down at him. "You're not so bad yourself. Now, would you mind getting the night started, husband?"

"Oh, it'd be my pleasure, my love," Yuugi said, grinning back up to Atem as he began to palm the tent in Atem's lingerie, to which his lover gasped and arched his hips into his touch. He slid the leg of Atem's lingerie to the side to put his lips to Atem's cock, kissing up his length before taking the head into his mouth to suck. He hummed softly and summoned a small bottle of lube from the bedside and began to stretch Atem while he pleasured him with his mouth. 

It didn't take nearly as long to stretch him anymore, and Yuugi didn't need to be so concerned about hurting his dear partner anymore as Atem had proved to him on more than a few occasions. What a miracle that was, for tonight, Yuugi's patience wasn't what it typically was. After he'd been working down his gag reflex, he took Atem's' cock down his throat and swallowed around him, and to his great pleasure, made Atem scream out in sheer ecstasy as he used his horns like reigns. Gently, Yuugi pulled off and withdrew his fingers to climb atop of Atem and unbuttoned his pants, but Atem objected to this.

Instead, he caught Yuugi off guard and switched their positions, pinning him down to the mattress. "I want to try something different tonight," Atem insisted, and Yuugi wasn't about to complain as his lover all but tore his suit off of him until he was left in nothing, his skin bare for Atem's viewing pleasure.

Atem climbed on top of him and straddled his hips, sliding the lace of his teddy out of the way to grind against his husband. "I want to ride you tonight."

Yuugi's heart pounded in exhilaration and his mouth went dry. "I think," he said through a roguish grin, "this has to be the best night of my life."

Atem laughed, "it better be."

He grabbed Yuugi's cock and pressed it inside of him, gasping as he sunk down, taking every ridge inside of him and settling in Yuugi's lap for a moment. Yuugi sighed in absolute delight, grasping his lover's hips and waiting for Atem to set their pace. The wedding was stunning, and he would do it all exactly the same given the opportunity to do it again, but god was it divine to be with Atem like this once more. He ran his hands along Atem's back as his lover began to move and grind against him, and held him tight all the while.

Yuugi's pulse bloomed as Atem began to move faster and his lips met with his lovers. Finally, there was no risk of interruption, no need to be reserved as he relished in the heat of their kisses He pulled Atem's hips down harder on his downstroke, groaning into their kiss and drowning out in ecstasy. Atem squeezed around him like a vice and Yuugi focused on exactly how hot and tight his lover was from this angle.

Soon enough they'd found their pace, high, throaty moans spilling out of Atem when he was pulled down and taking Yuugi in entirely, and Yuugi groaned as he rolled his hips up into the motion, heat scorching him through to his core. While his eyes had been shut tight through most of this in absolute pleasure, his face tucked into the nape of Atem's sweet neck to deepen the marks he'd left on his skin a while ago, drawing back to take in the sight of Atem's face was the best decision he could've made.

His flaxen bangs stuck to his face, framing his features in a halo of gold, flushed and contorted in pleasure, his lips parted to call out his name as he impaled himself on his cock. 

"Oh, gods Yuugi, yes," he cried, his neatly trimmed nails digging into his shoulder as Yuugi's hips arched up to meet Atem's on his downstroke as he watched his husband unravel.

What an excellent start to married life. Atem guided his hand to his cock, and Yuugi grasped it with his hand still slicked with the potion from Ryou, happily stroking him. From the way his husband throbbed hot in his hand, he could tell he wouldn't last much longer at their current pace.

Soon enough, Atem's cries of bliss rose higher and higher as he became tighter and tighter around him, gripping him impossibly harder in close intervals as he bounced on his lap. Yuugi pressed close again and muffled Atem's glorious cries with his mouth pressed against his in a hard kiss as Atem finished, staining his chest with his cum.

The rise and fall of his lover's hips quickly came to an end before Yuugi had reached his peak, and Atem collapsed against Yuugi who was still sitting upright and happy to hold him flush against his chest. "Oh, oh, Yuugi," Atem sighed in sweet content, hugging him tightly, "I love you so much... I'm so happy right now."

Yuugi only laughed softly as he stroked Atem's back, "I'm so glad, my love. You deserve nothing but the best, and I'm glad I was able to marry you like this today."

"Me too," Atem laughed, "and I'm glad I could have you like _this_ , tonight. We should experiment with positions more often..."

"Well, we've got our honeymoon coming up, you know... three whole weeks of no interruptions. Sounds perfect for some more... experimentation."

"No interruptions?" Atem grinned. 

"Not one," Yuugi replied.

"And I was sort of thinking, I haven't gotten to finish yet, dear. Think you can handle another round?"

"I'd love nothing more, my darling husband."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just so you know... Pegasus was the court painter for the wedding with a drink in hand. They're going to hang up the painting in their bedroom for sure.


End file.
